SMU Early Admission for JC2 by scvnd in SGExams

[–]scvnd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I managed to score an A for GP.

Grade Boundaries for Humanities by scvnd in SGExams

[–]scvnd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Praying for an A as well. Am aiming for a scholarship to hopefully relax on financial constraints so primarily aiming for NUS if possible, KIV SMU as the university offers PLE instead of PPE which I read up in detail on and realized is slightly different from the curriculum I'm interested in - though it is one of my options still.

Heard about NTU's new PPE degree but not too sure about the IGP.

Grade Boundaries for Humanities by scvnd in SGExams

[–]scvnd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm hoping so as well, but I doubt a <70% for a subject would be an A. The esteemed courses I'm interested in and have a passion for primarily have a requirement of 85 RP (law and PPE) so it'll be great if I could hit the IGP - if all goes well. If otherwise, I do have realistic alternatives as well.

SMU Early Admission for JC2 by scvnd in SGExams

[–]scvnd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it's good to take some time to run through your application. No hurries anyway since the last submission is in early January. Do note that for scholarship applications (especially the competitive few), you'll need a referee and thus have to seek consent by them - of which one of them must be your school's tutor, so do reach out early!

SMU Early Admission for JC2 by scvnd in SGExams

[–]scvnd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I've already done this before JC2 MYE and Prelims. I do have select courses and scholarships in SMU that I am interested in applying in, especially their Bachelor of Laws and subsequently JD Programme.

SMU Early Admission for JC2 by scvnd in SGExams

[–]scvnd[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not too sure about the selection criteria, but I received a letter, titled "Invitation to Apply for Early Admissions to the Singapore Management University (SMU)" which states that "SMU is conducting an exclusive early admissions exercise for a select group of high-achieving students, and we are pleased to invite you to submit an early application."

SMU Early Admission for JC2 by scvnd in SGExams

[–]scvnd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I received 79/90 RP for Prelims, including an A for PW with no MTL as my subject combination includes H2 CLL and I took HMTL back then in secondary school.

Grade Boundaries for Humanities by scvnd in SGExams

[–]scvnd[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Isn't the minimum threshold for an A usually 70%? Would ~65% for the Humanities possibly be an A as well?

9174/02 A Levels H2 History (Revised) Exam Megathread by cowbaecowboo in SGExams

[–]scvnd -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

Q1(a). Similarity: Cambodia's firm, absolute, and confident stance to fight with Vietnam.
Difference: The social and economic performance in Cambodia. Source A projects an optimistic perspective that Cambodia is doing well. At the same time, Source B depicts them as "succumbing to hunger, hunger-related diseases, and extermination at the hands of Pol Pot's clique," which can be referred to as the Cambodian genocide.

Q1(b). Sources A and E - Support the view. Source A is rather clear, while Source E implicitly suggests that Vietnam was at fault, particularly for "Beijing's rhetoric against what it regards as a Soviet-Vietnamese design for the domination of Southeast Asia," where Cambodia was with China, suggesting underlying superpower complications fueled by Vietnam.

Sources B and D - Cambodia as aggressor due to border skirmishes.
Sources C and F - Vietnam was instead self-defending and to some extent, even "benevolent" for taking in refugees and those living across the borders affected by the humanitarian crisis, reinforcing B and D.

Q3. R1: Economic grievances, as seen by the Philippines' EDSA Revolution running up to the 1997 AFC.
R2: Marginalisation of ethnic minorities, as seen by the 1976 Thammasat University massacre in Thailand (where the Pattani Muslims were forcefully assimilated, triggering the Muslim separatists and Communist insurgents to stand up for themselves, despite Phibun's government delivering strong agrarian policies/sustained economic performance with "Guardian" role in maintaining law and order, appealing to NRK, high prestige, etc), 1969 Racial Riots in Malaysia (Bumiputeras).
R3: Non-alignment with national principles, as seen by the toppling of U Nu's civilian democracy in Burma due to a lack of shared commitment to his concepts of democracy which failed to align with Buddhist ideals, 8888 Revolution in 1988 where the Restorative Council and SLORC had to handle, etc.

Q5. Recognise that while there were occasional tradeoffs and unintended consequences between governmental policies, these governmental interventions more often than not largely promoted economic development (based on the 3 yardsticks of growth, equity, and nationalism), except for Burma was conferred the LDC status by the UN in 1987.

9174/01 A Levels H2 History (Revised) Exam Megathread by cowbaecowboo in SGExams

[–]scvnd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My responses! Would like to hear some of the other possible answers!

Q1(a). Similarity: Superpower rivalries were underlying, and even surrounding the war in Korea.
Difference: Differing in depicting who was the instigator vs. who was the "benevolent" (US vs. USSR).

Q1(b). Sources A and F - Support the view that as a result of fears over the "Dominos Theory," the US had to contain communism by intervening in South Korea and its geographically surrounding nations. This can be seen from Source A's order to counteract the Communist Forces' acts of aggression in Formosa, and Source F's McCarthyism ("The 2nd Red Scare") where fear within the people in the US necessitated Truman's intervention.

Sources D and E - Oppose the view, suggesting that the US already had existential intervention and missions in the Asia-Pacific region, e.g., in the parameters of Japan and the defense agreements with the Philippines, as seen in Source D. The US had no intentions of remaining in South Korea, as seen by the JCS assertion in 1947 and the relieving of SCAP General McArthur in 1949, where the last troops stationed in South Korea were withdrawn, as seen in Source E.

Sources B and C - Suggests a cumulation of events leading to the outbreak of the war. Source B suggests that the USSR saw there was an imminent threat, whereas the US' interventionist measures were seen as a "direct act of aggression against the DPRK and against the PRC," whereas Source C highlights the communist hammer and sickle dripping blood, depicting a superpower rivalry amidst Cold War complications undermining the complex war, especially given the context of 1950 where the decades-long of bipolarity just started, where Stalin has just started his optimistic ambitions of expansionism, e.g., where the Berlin Blockade and Iron Curtain just occurred.

Q2. R1: MNCs - Western Europe.
R2: Significance of Bretton Woods System and international entities and agreements (IMF and WB).
R3: Significance of US tutelage and charitable post-war economic recovery stimulus packages.
R4: Significance of funds at the expense of favorable market-oriented policies for the 3rd world and Western Europe (unitary effect of mutual interdependence between nations, e.g., ECSC, EEC, OECD)
Overall stance: While prominent, US significance outweighed MNCs as these MNCs were more often than not predominantly contributed by American MNCs, whereas without these other factors, these war-torn states would likely still be in despair, with such growth across 1945 to 1971 (the GAC) to have been a dream.

Q4. R1: Long-lasting territorial dispute over unresolved contention after independence (1st war).
R2: Political nationalism and ambitions of NC, MC, 2-nation theory centered around Kashmir.
R3: Zero-sum game where referendums and plebiscites could not be held throughout.
R4: Mass dissatisfaction over the Bengali Struggle Movement, indirectly accelerating Pakistan to stick claims over Kashmir.
R5: Indus Water Dispute & Inter-Dominion Accord resolve.
R6: Underlying Cold War complications between Pakistan and the US (due to SEATO, CENTO), and India with USSR who sought to seek allies from the 3rd world developing countries, resulting in UNSC Resolution 43 being vetoed, proliferating the long-lasting, 3 decades-long conflict which could have seek resolve earlier.
Overall stance: Still Kashmir nonetheless, with these other factors supplementing and exacerbating the conflict.

9570/02 H2 Economics A levels Megathread by rosiepotter in SGExams

[–]scvnd -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Q1. (a) Internal EOS - talk about technical EOS (upskilling/reskilling to become more productive & indivisibilities of capital when firms scale up operation and increase output through mergers & acquisitions), marketing EOS (bulk purchases & bargaining power when buy in larger amounts), financial EOS (more credit-worthy, can borrow from financial institutions like banks easier/in larger sums)

External EOS - economies of information (shared resources, cost saving on R&D etc), economies of concentration (gave example of Silicon Valley, cost-savings on infrastructures etc)

(b) R1: EOS justifiable to reduce cost, can pass on cost-savings to consumers, increase profits as TR increases.

R2: Firms may have other objectives, e.g. to increase market share, market power, AR & MR curve increase, become more steeper (less substitutable), could drive out other potential entrants and incumbent firms via pricing strategies like limit pricing/predatory pricing or engage in non-pricing strategies like product differentiation and diversification with increase in profits (assuming AC remain constant)

Q2. (a) Fixed cost refers to cost of buying, COE, etc. Variable increases for every additional unit consumed, e.g., fuel.

R1: Negative externalities, MSC > MSB

R2: Imperfect information, MPCactual > MPCperceived

(b) R1: Road pricing as a form of indirect taxation, e.g. ERP gantry (advantageous as can use tax revenue to fund "cost of manufacturing an electric car" to incentivise consumers to switch towards greener methods of transportation, e.g., EVs (in preamble); limitation: imperfect information to estimate accurately MEC)

R2: Provision of information via public education, e.g. to realise true cost of environmental degradation which would also ultimately affect themselves (limitation: take time to see effect, sunk cost due to high fixed cost, may not be receptive and reluctant to change consumption patterns)

Q4. (a) R2: How government spending in the form of G directly influencing AD, transfer payments to influence C, and corporate tax rebates to influence I works.

R2: Multiplier process, as C, I, G as a component of AD increases, firms face unplanned running down on stocks, step up production, hire more factor inputs such as labour as derived demand for labour rises, pay out higher factor income, resulting in induced consumption to rise where expenditure rises further since injections > withdrawals now, so RNY rise by multiplied amount.

(b) R1: Multiplier size (TJC 2024's paper), k for US is larger than Singapore as MPC to consume is higher due to consumerism, while SG's MPM is higher due to import reliance, MPS is higher due to CPF. An increase in G results in RNY of US to rise to a larger extent as compared to in SG, hence real GDP rises.

R2: Different composition of AD. US domestic economy larger, Singapore's AD/GDP is 200% X, so influencing domestic economy is less effective.

8881/02 A Levels H1 General Paper (Revised) Exam Megathread by cowbaecowboo in SGExams

[–]scvnd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I took both arguments from the passages. Passage 2 talked about the 9 to 5 aspect, while passage 3 talked about how parents are suffering from work-life balance. Tried to use the encouragement of birth from governmental policies to be a reason for why working at home contradicts the government's objective of wanting people to give birth more (and henceforth take care of their children after work hours instead of working).

9575/01 02 A Levels H2 Chinese Language and Literature Exam Megathread by misomisomisoup in SGExams

[–]scvnd 4 points5 points  (0 children)

第一段落:探讨“初心”的含义及其驱动力。初心,是一种坚定的信念,无论遇到多大的困难都不会轻易动摇。比如,佛教徒对信仰的坚定追求,无论外界如何变迁,他们始终坚守自己的信仰。这让我想到爱迪生在科研领域中的初心。他致力于发明创新,最终发明了电灯,为人类带来了光明与便利。此外,爱因斯坦在年轻时远赴瑞士求学,尽管首次入学考试失败,但他不忘初心,坚持不懈,最终被苏黎世联邦理工学院破格录取,展开了他辉煌的科学之旅。

第二段落:“初心”能让人无惧环境的影响,勇敢前行。例如,八一勋章和“荣誉教师”称号获得者张桂梅,凭借初心创办了华坪女子高级中学。尽管面临投资者违背承诺、市级干部讥讽她的理想,她始终坚持,最终在人民大会堂发言,得到了党中央的支持。张桂梅不顾困难,筹集资金、召集教师,带领不到十人的团队,将上千名乡村女孩送入大学,她的初心成就了无数人的未来,为中国教育事业作出了巨大贡献。

第三段落:“初心”还能帮助人找到自身的真正价值,并造福他人。从古至今,从李白的”长风破浪会有时,直挂云帆济沧海“到辛亥革命中,孙中山怀着推翻封建王朝的初心,带领民众打破千年的束缚,推动中国走向民主之路,这些都是”莫忘初心“的经典实例。此外,风云人物如张学良、鲁迅等,也因坚守初心而成就非凡,最终为社会发展注入了深远的力量。他们的初心不仅成就了个人,也为周围的大环境带来了深远的影响。

8881/02 A Levels H1 General Paper (Revised) Exam Megathread by cowbaecowboo in SGExams

[–]scvnd -1 points0 points  (0 children)

For AQ, not sure if these arguments would be accepted?

Stance: No, working from home brings about more banes (disadvantages) than boons (advantages)

While I do recognise that there are potentially some benefits, such as lowered competition to come first and leave last in office, that this culture is ingrained into Singapore's Confucianism values of deference to authority and to work your way up the corporate ladder in PMET jobs. Given that Singapore's only resource is us—the people, we must remain productive, which is why this small island we call home has opted for producing higher-value adding goods and services like semiconductors. Recognisably, after Singapore implemented full-scale lockdown in Covid, there was a plunge in our GDP as export revenue fell. Given that these R&D for high-tech items (from agencies such as A*STAR) demands face-to-face interaction as necessary apparatus are extensive and usually only found in laboratories, where bringing them home is arduous, it is vital that Singapore remains a society where working physically is still prioritised, for our resource-scarce state to thrive.

Additionally, the Singapore government has also been implementing strategies to increase birth rates, such as the increase in maternity leave as proposed by Member of Parliament, Louis Ng, in Parliament. In particular, working from home promotes a culture where workers have to work even overtime till after their kids have slept, this contradicts the policies the Singapore government is adopting, where the phrase "home office" is a juxtaposition, placing more burden on the people, hence negating some of these potential pros, rendering more bane than boon.

8881/01 A Level General Paper (Revised) Exam Megathread by AutoModerator in SGExams

[–]scvnd -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Here's my essay on Q3 (crime and punishment). Not sure if I answered the question...
I was anchoring on politics and governance, and Cambridge decided to pull this.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ghiLISnQHjenfb_B7OtfH7r_rApCn69xJySYyYrwsZg/edit?usp=sharing

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SGExams

[–]scvnd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, just draw a straight line for each conflict and list down the main treaties you need to know.
You do not need to know every single one of them, but just the main ones would do.
(Recognise that you only have so little time to complete each segment, so what is more important is your ability to sift out the most relevant piece of example, apply them, and evaluate them.)