Inspire - Issue 4

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Welcome to yet another issue of Inspire!

Have you yet to note our modified logo for Inspire? The multi-coloured bulb emphasises our commitment to bring out the critical thinker in you, as we continue to inspire you with our colourful stories and discussions!

We introduce a new sub-theme in this issue – The Word. Find out how the written word can teach you much more than just language. In our article on Life Lessons from Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, find out how two boyish teenagers reveal life’s truths about family, friends and about how unique and special each of you are.

In our discussion piece, we focus on the animals in the science laboratories. Is it is justifiable to use animals for research? Or does that depend on the alternatives that are available? Read about it and make your own judgement.

We looked towards the West for inspiration in the previous issue, learning about Paris, the fashion capital and getting a glimpse of places of interest in London. In this issue, we turn the spotlight on the East. Find out what lessons Singapore, the little red dot that blazed a trail, have for the world and get a taste of life in mountainous Tibet.

The one thing common among people from all over the world is food, and the kind of food that is accessible to both the rich and poor is street food. I had the delight of participating in the recent World Street Food Congress, an event that celebrates street food or hawker fare, from all over the globe. I met many celebrity chefs like Top Chef, Season 9 winner, Paul Qui, from the United States and Thailand’s Iron Chef, Ian Kittichai. I learnt much more from chefs like them and food historians there, besides bursting at the seams with gastronomic delights from Bolivia to Indonesia.

One grey note we share in this issue is the demise of one of Singapore’s great leaders, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. However, he leaves a legacy behind, and we, as well as a student amongst you, pay our tribute to this tough, visionary leader.

Inspire Magazine Description:

!nspire is akin to a ‘tonic’ to inspire lower-secondary students to love reading, and to be inspired to better themselves. The slew of interesting articles that cover a range of topics in each issue provide students with more than just entertainment, serving to tickle their intellectual curiosity and kindle a love for lifelong reading and learning.

Content in each issue include fiction and non-fiction articles on a range of topics like Gaia (environment), In Shape (sports and fitness), Sci-Tech (Science and Technology) and Strange Truths. We also have a cover story in each issue, which could be anything from an interview of a determined athlete who beat all odds to a true account of a man who lost his home in Typhoon Haiyan.
Regular features in every issue include Student’s Corner (published students’ essays, both as model and for tweaking), Bon Voyage (exotic travel experiences by our globe-trotting travel writer), A Leaf Out of a Book (an excerpt from a novel), Language Buzz (language games) and Workout (student worksheets). Fun facts and pictorial idioms dot our magazines too, injecting more fun in reading.

Accompanied by thought-provoking questions, word banks and sources for further reading or viewing (YouTube video links), !nspire strives to make every student more well-read and knowledgeable, and a better critical thinker.
Any student who is looking for inspiration to better himself, both emotionally and intellectually, would find !nspire indispensable.