Sample on Giving Opinion / Argumentative Essay

Halimah and Dollah are talking about the National Service in Malaysia. Read the dialogue between them. Who do you agree with?
Use the points in the conversation below to write the composition.

Halimah : My brother is going for the National Service next month.
Dollah : That’s wonderful. I will have to wait till I finish my SPM next year.
Halimah : My brother says that it’s a waste of time. He is reluctants to go.
Dollah : It’s not a waste of time! In fact, it’s good for young people like us. The National Service trains us to be disciplined, independent and patriotic. During the three months of training, we gain new values and outlook.
Halimah : Are you sure that we can achieve these in three months? I doubt so. The National Service is mainly having physical activities. I also think it is a waste of time. It delays our going to college by three months.
Dollah : It’s not just physical activities. We learn history and national ideology. We will also have computer classes.

When writing your composition :
- you may use all the notes given.
- elaborate on the given notes to make it more interesting
- make sure it is not less than 120 words

I agree with ______________feel strongly that every teenager should go ____________________________. National Service in Malaysia is implemented for 18-year-old ___________________________. Generally, it is good for them to spend the _________________________while waiting for their __________________________.

During the programme, they learn a lot of things like ________________________. The objectives are to ______________________ like __________________ for the country, enhance ______________________ among the multiracial community and produce an ________________________________. The trainees will come out of the three months’ National Service as stronger and much more ______________________________ .

At home, they tend to take their home comfort and family members for granted. During the training, they live _______________________ from their family. While at the camps, they gain a lot in terms of becoming more ____________________________________, __________________________________________________ to the country. These are good traits to acquire. And such traits will stay with the young people and later help them to ________________________________________________.

As for Halimah’s argument that school-leavers will go to _________________________, this is rather insignificant. Many school-leavers do not join a college straight away after ___________________ . During the three months of ___________________, the trainees learn and gain a __________________________________ . Thus it certainly is not a ________________________________________ . In fact, it is a very _________________________________ before they proceed to colleges for a _________________________________________ .

In conclusion, I feel it is clear that the National Service is ____________ _____________________________.

{school leavers ; national ideology and history ; beneficial to the youth of today ; in camps away ; independent, disciplined and patriotic ; three months training ; go for the National Service ; good experience for school-leavers ; lot of skills and knowledge ; active, intelligent and confident generation ; adjust to the working life ; college three months later ; after leaving school ; examination results ; national service training ; tertiary education ; thoughtful citizens enhance unity ; Dollah ; waste of time ; loyalty}