1. CHESTNUT DRIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL
September Holiday Homework 2009
Secondary Three Express
(End of Year Examinations 2008)
COMBINED HUMANITIES
PAPER 1 Social Studies
Name : _______________________ [ ] Class: 3 E ___________
Name of Setter: Mr. Shashidaren
Date: 6th October 2008 Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST
Write your name, class and index number in the spaces provided on the answer papers.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.
Section A
Answer all parts of Question 1.
Section B
Answer one question.
Write all answers in the answer papers provided.
At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together.
The number of marks is given in brackets[ ] at the end of each question or part question.
For Examiner’s Use
Question No. Marks Remarks
1 (a)
Section A
1 (b)
1 (c)
1 (d)
Total / 25
This document consists of 4 printed pages including the cover page
DO NOT OPEN THE QUESTION PAPER UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

2. Section A (Source Based Case Study)
Question 1 is compulsory for all candidates
Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the
questions.
You may use any of the sources to help answer the questions, in addition to those sources
which you are told to use. In answering the questions you should use your knowledge of
the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.
1 (a) Study Source A.
What is the message the cartoonist is trying to convey?
Explain your answer. [5]
(b) Study Sources B and C.
How similar are the two sources? Explain your answer. [6]
(c) Study Source D.
How reliable is this source in showing that there is racial tolerance and
inter-racial interaction among Singaporeans? Explain your answer. [7]
(d) Study Source E.
How far does this source prove that the Singapore government’s efforts at
promoting racial harmony have been successful? Explain your answer. [7]
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3. Is there racial tolerance and interaction in Singapore?
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Being a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society, racial harmony is a very important concept
for Singapore. The Singapore government has taken various measures to promote inter-
racial interaction in order to maintain harmony and peace. One of these measures has
been to establish common spaces such as public housing estates as well as national
schools where Singaporeans of different races can come together to interact and bond.
How effective have these measures been?
Study the following sources to find out if there really is racial tolerance and interaction in
Singapore.
Source A: A local cartoon from an online racial harmony forum.
Source B: A comment by a HDB resident on interaction between the races in her
housing estate.
Yes, in our estate we do interact, but only on the surface. I have on occasions
heard neighbours who complained that the Malay weddings or the Chinese
funerals were very noisy. I don’t think Singaporeans are tolerant enough. If all of
us were a little more tolerant towards their practices, we won’t have ill feelings
and we would have a better place to live in.
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4. Source C: A comment on bonding and inter-racial interaction made by a
Singaporean student on a local blog.
Of course there is no bonding among the different races. I study in an above-
average neighbourhood school where the Chinese and the Malays don’t really
mix with each other. Bonding is done through National Education. Most of the
students treat national education as just a subject. If you believe that having
National Education will result in a stronger bond between different races, you’re
( too naive.
How can national education result in a stronger bond between different races?
Source D: A description of the Singapore society found on a Singapore government
website.
Singaporeans share a common vision to build a harmonious multi-racial society.
While maintaining their own language, culture and customs, they seek to
develop a shared identity through common experiences such as attending the
national schools and going through the National Service, and a common
working language – English.
Source E: Speech by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Acting Minister for Education
at the Racial Harmony Discovery Day on Saturday, 17 July 2004.
The Government is committed to ensuring that every Singaporean has the
opportunity to realise his full promise in life, regardless of race, language or
religion. Through our housing policies and schools, ample opportunities have
been created for Singaporeans to grow up together, live together and play
together. The Government will continue to guard the common spaces, in our
schools and neighbourhoods that have been essential for multiracialism to
survive in Singapore.
Acknowledgements:
www.ne.edu.sg/miel.htm www.ne.edu.sg/miel.htm
CPPD, Ministry of Education
http://politics.sgforums.com/forumsrea/10/topics/93705
http://www.littlespeck.com/content/people/CTrendsPeople-051003.htm
http://fcd.ecitizen.gov.sg/CommunityDevelopment/PromoteRacialHarmonyNCommunityBonding/
http://www.moe.edu.sg/media/speeches/2004/sp20040717.htm
End of Paper
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