Temasek Junior College
2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
2020 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
GENERAL PAPER
Paper 2 Suggested Answers
NOTE TO JC2 STUDENTS FROM YOUR GP TUTORS
Time management
Manage your time wisely. You have 90 minutes for Paper 2. Here is a breakdown of how
much time you ought to spend on each section:
Action
Duration
Read the passage(s), paying attention to key ideas in each paragraph
5 minutes
Short answer questions (SAQ)
● 2 minutes can be allocated for a 1-mark question.
● Based on the total number of SAQ marks on each relevant page,
estimate the amount of time needed.
● For example, if the SAQs on page 2 are worth a total of 7 marks,
allocate about 15 minutes to finish the page of SAQs.
35 minutes
(based on a total
of 17 marks
worth of SAQ)
Summary
20 minutes
Application Question (a few minutes’ worth of planning is essential)
30 minutes
Language
● All answers must be in complete sentences.
● There were far too many students who spelled ‘aggressive’ and ‘convenience’ wrongly.
Handwriting
● Bad handwriting leaves a poor impression in the examiner’s mind. The examiner also
cannot give any credit when words are not legible.
● Massive cancellations and drawing arrows everywhere suggest poor planning. Minimise
or avoid cancellations.
Paraphrase accurately, relevantly and intelligently
● Do not blindly paraphrase the relevant sentences blindly or word-for-word. More often
than not, such answers do not answer the question.
● Pay attention to what the question is asking and paraphrase meaningfully to address the
question.
● Students are advised to craft their answers in clear, succinct English, and in as short/
direct ways as possible. Long-winded attempts at word substitution often cause a
mangling of clear communication.
How to use this set of comprehension answers
● This set of comprehension answers has also been prepared to help you with question
analysis and content for the AQ. The content is not intended for mere memorisation and
regurgitation.
● Pay attention to the comments given for each question to weed out common errors/
misinterpretations and the careful reading + thought process required to derive the
correct answer.
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Temasek Junior College
2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
● SAQs and summary: Read the comments carefully to learn how to pay attention to
question requirements.
● Read the AQ answer thoroughly and pay attention to the EV/EX and EG provided. These
explain the reasons WHY things are the way they are in your society (in this case,
Singapore) and bring out the traits of your society while assessing the extent of your
(dis)agreement with the author's observations. The ability to refer to and evaluate the
traits of your society is important for a good AQ answer.
1. According to the author, in which three ways do today’s grapes ‘please modern
eaters’ (line 2)? Use your own words as far as possible. [3]
From the passage
almost certainly no seeds for you to
chew or spit out… spare us the
dreadful inconvenience of pips (l. 3–
4)
Suggested rephrase
• Firstly, the troublesome/ bothersome
parts of eating the grape have been
removed// eating grapes has become
much easier/ less of a hassle// seedless
grapes are now easier to eat/ less
troublesome to eat. [1]
**grapes are now seedless (without
explanation) = 0
•
the sweetness of the grapes is a sure
bet… carefully bred and ripened to
appeal to consumers reared on
sugary foods (l. 5–6)
•
•
their year-round availability also
speaks to huge changes in global
agriculture… they are cultivated
globally and never out of season (l.
7–10)
•
•
Secondly, producers have also
guaranteed/ ensured that the grapes
taste pleasant/ are not sour/ do not
taste tart. [1]
*the idea of ‘sure bet’ must be captured for
any credit to be given
In addition, consumers do not have to
wait for specific times of the year to get
their hands on the grapes/ they can
easily get grapes any time of the year//
grapes are no longer only obtainable/
within reach at select times of the year.
[1]
Comments:
● This is a relatively easy question to score and the loss of marks was commonly due to
misplaced focus.
● A number of students were directing their efforts towards word replacement for sugary,
and missed out on the key idea of a ‘sure bet’.
● Many students were also guilty of lifting the words ‘availability’ and ‘season’.
● Many students struggled to spell ‘convenience’ correctly.
2. Explain the irony in line 11. [2]
From the passage
•
•
life is getting better (l. 11)
2
Suggested rephrase
One would expect that improving
standards of living would bring about a
higher quality of food/ more nutritious/
healthier food options. [1]
Temasek Junior College
•
but diets are getting worse (l. 11)
2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
•
However, in reality, we are eating more
unhealthily// the quality of food/ food
choices are deteriorating. [1]
*Both expectation and reality have to be
clearly engaged before any mark can be
awarded.
Comments:
● Generally, students lost marks for this question not because they did not get the irony,
but because they lifted ‘better’, ‘worse’ and even ‘diets’.
● There was also a handful of students who merely tried to rephrase the entire sentence
without any attempt to explain the irony.
3. From paragraph 4, identify two reasons the author gives to explain why there is a
rise in obesity and diet-related diseases. Use your own words as far as possible.
[2]
•
From the passage
so many healthy eating initiatives
fail. (l.30)
•
Suggested rephrase
Firstly, many campaigns to encourage
healthier eating have been unsuccessful
[1]
•
No one likes to feel judged about
their food choices… modern culture
is far too critical of the individuals
who eat junk foods (l.29–33)
•
because they end up making them feel
overly/ highly/ extremely sensitive about
what they eat which results in them
spurning such programmes// people
resent being told what to eat// people
want to be free to eat whatever they
want. [1]
•
The rise of obesity and diet-related
disease around the world has
happened hand in hand with the
marketing of fast food and sugary
sodas, of processed meats and
branded snack foods. (l. 30–32)
•
In addition, there is also the promotion/
availability of unhealthy foods. [1]
•
… and not critical enough of the
corporations who profit from
selling them. (l. 33–34)
•
Finally, efforts to address obesity and
diet-related diseases do not adequately/
sufficiently censure the role food
producers play in encouraging
unhealthy eating in order to boost
sales// no one blames the food
manufacturers/ businesses/ hold them
responsible/ accountable for selling
unhealthy snacks/ food. [1]
Any 2 of the 4 points
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2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
Comments:
● Many students could not spell ‘aggressive’ accurately.
● There were a number of long-winded attempts at word substitution that often resulted in
a mangling of clear communication.
4. Explain why the author has written ‘guilt-free’ (line 59) in inverted commas. [2]
•
From the passage
many, many more ‘guilt-free’ kale
crisps (l.59)
•
•
Suggested rephrase
This is because the author does not
agree/ is doubtful/ is skeptical/ wants to
highlight that he does not think it is true
that kale crisps are guilt-free [1]
because they are not healthy when
eaten in abundance/ fried. [1]
Comments:
● The idea of why kale chips are unhealthy was not captured, or incorrectly so.
● Many students did not address the author’s intention, as well as a clear reference to the
context here (kale chips, and not other foods, or food in general)
5. Why does the author use ‘blindly fixated’ (line 80) to describe the modern food
system, and what is the consequence of this? Use your own words as far as
possible. [2]
•
•
From the passage
For 50 years or more, our food system •
has been blindly fixated on the
question of quantity. (l.80)
Suggested rephrase
The author uses the phrase to show
that the modern food system has
unquestioningly/ unthinkingly hankered
after/ chased/ focused on increasing
food production/ abundance/ amounts
of food produced. [1]
•
As a result, there has been little/ not
been much thought given to the quality/
nutritional value of food/ impact of food
on our wellbeing. [1]
Since the end of rationing after the
Second World War, the food industry
has been focused on supplying
populations with enough food,
without considering whether that
‘food’ was beneficial for human
health. (l.81–83)
Comments:
● There was a lack of attention to the intensity of the terms ‘blindly’ and ‘fixated’.
● Many students were guilty of thoughtless paraphrasing.
● In answering the part on the consequences, there was a significant number of students
who incorrectly made references to the environment.
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2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
6. What does the phrase ‘glimmers of a return to quality’ (line 83) suggest about the
modern day food system? [1]
•
From the passage
But now there are glimmers of a
return to quality (l.83)
•
Suggested rephrase
This tells us that our modern day food
system is beginning to improve// there
is hope that food is becoming more
nutritional/ we are taking small steps
towards improving the modern food
system. [1]
*No context of quality of food = 0
**Students should not interpret ‘glimmers’
in a negative way
Comments:
● Lifting of the term ‘quality’ was a common occurrence.
● The idea of ‘glimmers’ was not accurately captured by many students, with many
referring to a greater awareness or the attempt to change.
7. From paragraph 10, identify three changes needed to ‘reverse the worst of the
modern diets and save the best’ (line 90). Use your own words as far as possible.
[3]
•
From the passage
To reverse the worst of modern diets
and save the best would require
many other things to change about
the world today, from the way we
organise agriculture. (l.90)
•
•
to the way we talk about
vegetables. (l.91–92)
•
•
We should also seek to create an
environment in which a love of
healthy food is easier to adopt,
(l.92–93)
•
•
and to reduce the barriers to
people actually buying and eating
that food. (l.93–94)
•
Suggested rephrase
Firstly, we need to restructure our
farms/ reform farming. [1]
We also need to promote the
consumption of vegetables// change our
attitudes/ mindsets about vegetables/
healthy eating. [1]
*‘include vegetables in our conversations’/
‘have conversations about vegetables’ = 0
In addition, we should make it easier/
more conducive for people to desire/
want/ be more interested in eating
healthily/ well. [1]
*The idea of ‘love’ must be included for
credit to be given
We should also encourage more people
to adopt healthy eating// make the
purchase of healthy food more
convenient/ accessible/ affordable//
decrease the difficulty of purchasing
healthy food. [1]
Any 3 points for 3 marks.
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2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
Comments:
● A fair number of students thoughtlessly paraphrased the first two points (‘the way we
organise agriculture’ and ‘the way we talk about vegetables’) without showing any
understanding of the real point made.
● Quite a few also missed out on the idea of ‘love’ for the third point.
8. What does the final sentence (lines 95–96) suggest about the author’s attitude
towards the future of food? [2]
•
From the passage
If the transformations we are living
through now teach us anything, it is
that humans are capable of
altering almost everything about
our eating in a single generation.
(l.95–96)
•
Suggested rephrase
(inferred) The author is optimistic/
hopeful/ confident about improving/
changing the food system// people
eating more healthily, [1]
•
because mankind/ people have been
able to make huge/ drastic changes to
their diet// make any dietary adjustment
needed within their time/ a short period/
quickly enough. [1]
*It is sufficient to capture either the idea of
the ability of mankind to make huge
changes, or the short amount of time
needed.
Comments:
● Quite a few students missed out on attempting the second point, which is on the reason
why the author would feel hopeful or optimistic.
● Among those who did, several were guilty of lifting ‘a single generation’, or being too
vague in simply saying that humans are able to make the changes required.
● Some students were paraphrasing without making any reference to the author’s attitude.
9. Using material from paragraphs 5–7 only (lines 39–71), summarise what the author
has to say about the causes of unhealthy modern diets. Write your summary in no
more than 120 words, not counting the opening words which are printed below.
Use your own words as far as possible. [8]
Our unhealthy modern diets are caused by …
From the passage
• What has changed most since the A1 •
1960s is… (l.39)
A2 •
• the marketing (l. 39)
•
and availability of nutrient-poor
foods (l.40)
A3
•
•
Some of these changes are
happening so rapidly (l.40)
it is almost impossible to keep
track (l.41)
A4
•
A5
•
•
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Suggested rephrase
the huge/ big/ large shift towards
food,
as companies promote/ sell/
advertise
and make large/ huge amounts/
quantities of unhealthy/ junk food
accessible.
All that happened so quickly/ at a
such a fast pace/ great speed,
we struggle/ find it extremely difficult
to monitor the impacts.
Temasek Junior College
2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
•
Sales of fast food grew by 30%
worldwide from 2011 to 2016 and
sales of packaged food grew by
25%. (l.41–42)
A6
•
•
a new branch of Domino’s Pizza
opened every seven hours in
2016 (l.42–43)
We are often told in a slightly
hectoring way that we should
make better or smarter food
choices, (l.43–44)
yet the way we eat now is the
product of vast impersonal
forces that none of us asked
for.(l.44–45)
The choices we make about food
are largely predetermined by
what is available. (l.45–46)
A7
•
A8
•
A9
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A10 •
In many supermarkets, you can
choose from thousands of
different sugary snack bars but
only one variety of banana. (l.46–
48)
Consequently, in every
continent (l.48)
there has been a common set of
changes from savoury foods to
sweet ones, from meals, snacks,
dinners cooked at home, meals
eaten out or takeaways. (l.48–50)
Across the board, across all
social classes (l.51)
most of us also eat and drink
more (l.51)
than our grandparents did. (l.51–
52)
whether we are cooking a leisurely
dinner at home… or grabbing a
takeaway from a fast food chain.
(1.52–53)
A11 •
Plates are bigger … portion is
inflated and wine glasses are
vast. (l.53–54)
It has become normal to
punctuate the day with snacks
B5
A12 •
A13 •
B1
B2
B3
B4
B6
7
(inferred) In recent years, people
have been buying more quick/
convenient/ hassle-free/ processed
food products// quick to adopt
unhealthy eating/ food options,
as junk food restaurants/ outlets
popped up at a fast/ rapid pace/ very
quick speed.
(inferred) People do not want to
follow/ resist advice on healthier
food// do not take kindly to being
told/ forced to eat healthily.
Their eating habits are a result of a
wide range of/ many external
causes/ factors outside their control.
How people select food is primarily/
predominantly/ mainly/ chiefly
decided by what food there is at
hand/ within reach/ obtainable.
In the stores, there are far more
unhealthier/ sweet foods than
healthier ones
globally/ everywhere/ in every part of
the world,
and in every meal.
•
Everyone, regardless of income
levels/ status,
• is consuming greater amounts of
food
• compared to the previous
generation,
• and this applies to homecooked
meals/ homecooking/ one’s own
cooking or bought/ commerciallyproduced food.
*point is different from A13 as this
focuses on eating more
• Drink and dinner wares/ food shares/
serving sizes are larger than before,
•
while people are eating more
frequently throughout the day/ eating
and drinking between meals have
Temasek Junior College
2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
and to quench our thirst with
calorific liquids (l.54–56)
•
become common/ a way of life/
habit.
We do not just eat more burgers
and fries than our grandparents,
(l.57)
we also eat more fruit… and
many, many more ‘guilt-free’ kale
crisps. (l.58–59)
B7
•
Besides more junk/ unhealthy food,
B8
•
people are consuming a lot more/
excessive amounts of seemingly
healthy food.
•
The psychology of eating is
another thing that has radically
changed. (l.60)
C1
•
The mentality towards food has
altered/ shifted drastically/
transformed,
•
Much of our eating takes place in a
new chaotic atmosphere in which
we no longer have many rules to
fall back on.(l.60–62)
Unhealthy food, eaten in a hurry
(l.62)
C2
•
and there are few proper/ common
guidelines/ norms about/ on/ when
eating.
C3
•
Food is also eaten in a rush/ on the
go// we have no time to properly
digest our food.
•
•
Mark scheme (24 points)
1 point
2 points
3–4 points
1 mark
2 marks
3 marks
5–6 points
7–8 points
9–10 points
4 marks
5 marks
6 marks
11–12 points
≥ 13 points
7 marks
8 marks
Comments:
● Many students missed out on getting credit for their points because they were not
thorough in their paraphrasing attempts and did not capture the intensity in their answers.
● Some were thoughtlessly paraphrasing, with the most common points that ended up with
weird paraphrasing concoctions being A11 and B5.
● There was a lack of understanding of some of the points, especially B5, C2 and C3.
10. Bee Wilson argues that modern diets are unhealthy due to a variety of factors.
How far would you agree with her observations, relating your arguments to your
own experiences and that of your society?
Comments
Writing a sensible stand
● Students must remember that in phrasing the stand, they must avoid ‘certain extent’.
This does not give the marker any clarity on how much or where you stand exactly.
Choice of observations
● Weak scripts did not choose observations that addressed the factors which explain why
modern diets are unhealthy, as required by the lead in, and instead chose observations
such as ‘life is getting better but diets are getting worse’. These merely mimic the leadin and are not considered as valid observations for discussion.
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2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
Development of paragraphs
● Though relevant observations may be selected, many students gave generic, run-of-themill observations of food trends across the globe, or food types that can be found
anywhere, without making any link or reference to Singaporean society. This reflects a
shallow depth of thinking
● Students also need to stop expecting markers to infer meaning and links for them. They
need to clearly and explicitly explain the link between their claims and examples to the
OB and/ or stand. Merely stating examples like the ‘nasi lemak burger’ and immediately
jumping to a statement like ‘therefore unhealthy’ will not score much credit. In the context
of this topic, the nutritional values of foods are not self-explanatory.
● Those who were able to score better, gave refreshing insights and observations of
societal trends by pulling together facts and making logical sense out of them. For
instance, there were a few insightful points such as how, in the Chinese society,
excessive eating and a huge spread of food is a mark of wealth and social status, and
how eating is a language of love when parents pile food on their children’s plates.
● On the other hand, there were still those who employed fake data, statistics and
surveys not realising or naively expecting not to be exposed because markers are
ignorant, or that their numbers or details would not be contradicted by other students
who actually gave the accurate ones. This is a bad habit that these students have to
drop.
QUESTION ANALYSIS
modern diets
● typically associated with foods that contain artificial, refined ingredients, or have
undergone processing
● this shift from traditional diets are driven by access to new technology, higher food
security and also marketing
unhealthy
● a negative, harmful impact on
variety of factors
● a multitude of reasons for unhealthy modern diets
how far would you agree or disagree with her observations
● Students should ensure that they answer the command phrase of the question clearly.
● Do not merely agree or disagree – the degree of agreement/ disagreement should be
clearly stated, using appropriate qualifiers.
● Students should state their stand in relation to each observation.
● Students should also consider balance in their response.
relating your arguments to your own experiences and that of your society
● The society discussed in the script must be clearly stated in the introduction and
discussed throughout the response.
● Students should not engage in generic discussions on food and modern diet without
contextualising their arguments to a particular society.
● To ensure that the discussion is clearly related to their society, students should refer to
the traits of people in that society –
→ their lifestyles, mindsets, attitudes, behaviour
→ the experiences that the society and its people have gone through, historical or
recent
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2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
→ circumstances that are prevalent in the society, e.g. affluent, pragmatic, competitive,
fast-paced lifestyle, a ‘foodie’ nation/ food paradise, etc …
→ different groups of people in the society – different groups will exhibit different traits,
have different experiences and as a result, the same observation is true to different
degrees for different groups.
USING THE SUGGESTED APPROACH WISELY
● You will notice that the suggested approach below provides many examples and
different angles of evaluation/ argument.
● In the examination, you are not expected to write an AQ response at such length. You
are reasonably expected to provide some perceptive evaluation/ argument and at least
one well-evaluated example per body paragraph.
● However, you should still carefully examine the various angles of evaluation/ argument
presented below to see how the author’s opinions can be evaluated in the context of
Singapore.
● The numerous examples are there to show you that examples are in abundance and not
so difficult to cite. You should also familiarise yourself with these examples because they
can be used in a different context, by looking at them from a different angle.
SUGGESTED APPROACH
R:
The extent to which you agree with the author’s arguments that modern diets
are unhealthy.
OB1–4:
Observations made by the author to support her stand (with relevant quotes
from the passage). State your chosen observation clearly with paragraph/ line
reference at the start of each body paragraph. You should identify and discuss
at least two observations in your AQ.
EX, EV:
Explaining, developing and evaluating your arguments with reference to
yourself and your own society, making the link clear to OB and R.
EG:
Supporting ideas with relevant examples from your society, and making the
link from the examples to OB, EX, EV and R.
** for the suggested answer below, ‘your society’ = Singapore.
INTRODUCTION
• Internationally-known as a food paradise, there is an indulgent spread of food options
all over Singapore. With that reputation, it is no surprise that eating is a national hobby
regardless of class background in my society.
• As a result, Bee Wilson’s concerns about unhealthy modern diet are certainly not alien.
Fortunately, in recent years, more Singaporeans are becoming health-conscious,
thereby paying more attention to the importance of diet, and what they are putting into
their bodies.
OBSERVATION 1
Wilson points out that today, food is actually ‘killing us’ (line 13) due to ‘its
abundance – a hollow kind of abundance’ (lines 13–14). She argues that excessive
consumption of food of inferior nutritious value leads to poor health.
• There is an element of truth in Wilson’s observation in the Singapore context.
Singapore has often been described as a food lovers’ paradise, on account of the
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
dizzying variety of local and international cuisines that are readily available in this island
nation, sometimes even around the clock. As Singaporeans have become more affluent,
they have increasingly indulged in luxuries like frequent late night suppers, enjoying
dishes ranging from local favourites like roti prata to more international flavours like
Korean fried chicken or Mexican street food.
Furthermore, as a highly globalised country, the average Singaporean often consumes
‘hyper-palatable’ processed food like bacon, sausages, pate, cakes and confectionaries
as well as soft drinks marketed by global food corporations like PepsiCo and Nestle.
Such dietary choices have led to six in ten Singaporeans consuming more calories than
necessary as well as more fat and sugar than recommended, according to a report by
the Ministry of Health in 2017. Consequently, 1.7 million Singaporeans were at risk of
obesity related illnesses such as diabetes and heart diseases in 2014.
However, even though there are grounds for concern, it is not fair to generalise
that all the food we consume is killing us. There is also an abundance of healthy
and nutritious food available in Singapore that is very much a part of our
‘comfortable lifestyles’.
Through various governmental campaigns, Singaporeans are, by now, more than well
aware of the need to adopt a healthier diet. The authorities have followed up with
accompanying measures that make it easier to eat well.
Even in hawker centres, where many Singaporeans have a large proportion of their daily
meals, a wide variety of healthy, yet tasty, options of hawker fare such as yong tau foo
and Teochew porridge, are widely available at affordable prices.
Moreover, due to initiatives by the Health Promotion Board (HPB), more eateries at
hawker centres and beyond have adapted their recipes to meet the nutritional criteria
required to display the Healthier Choice pyramid, pointing to a wider availability of
healthy food options. For example, it is quite common for hawker stalls to now offer
brown rice as a healthy alternative or many cafes to offer wholegrain bread choices.
In keeping with the growing café-culture that is popular with younger Singaporeans,
many cafes offering wholesome, organic menus have gained popularity in recent years.
Kitchen by Food Rebel, a lunchtime favourite amongst office-goers in the Financial
District, is one of many cafes to offer healthier menus featuring dishes like the hormonefree chicken protein bowl with hummus. Even in residential heartlands like Tampines,
signs of the clean eating revolution are evident, as exemplified by Mahota Commune,
which provides a farm-to-table dining experience where everything is made from scratch
with fresh, quality produce from their very own organic farm in Shanghai.
Moreover, vegan food and meat-free meals are becoming more popular as
Singaporeans hope to cut the meat-heavy diets that is often an occurrence in affluent
societies. Quorn, a plant-based meat alternative, saw its demand increase during the
Covid-19 pandemic as local eateries such as The Soup Spoon chain, bento kiosk chain
Ichiban Bento and sandwich shop Rebel have included Quorn-based items on their
menu.
Arguably, the availability of high-sugar options still remains a problem amongst
Singaporeans who love their cup of kopi – coffee that is prepared with sweetened
condensed milk amongst a plethora of other sugar laden beverages, both traditional
ones like bandung, which is a rose syrup milk drink or new crazes like bubble tea.
This love affair with sugar has prompted the authorities to declare a ‘war on diabetes’.
Arising from the Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme, launched in July 2017 food
manufacturers received grants to create products that use less refined sugar in favour
of natural sweeteners such as stevia as a supplement to avoid compromising on taste.
Local manufacturer Faesol, has introduced a range of ready-to-mix Asian beverages
including water chestnut and roselle tea that contain about half the amount of sugar
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2020 Prelim Paper 2 Suggested Answers
compared to the same syrup-based drink as a result of the grant from the scheme. Even
for the beloved cup of kopi, Siu Dai (less sugar) or Kopi-C Kosong (coffee with
evaporated milk and no sugar) appear amongst the many options offered by local
beverage stalls.
Finally, as an affluent society, more Singaporeans have the option to purchase organic
ingredients for their home-cooked meals. Shelves stocked with organic food products
ranging from pulses to grain-alternatives like quinoa to superfoods like chia seeds and
kale powder, are found even at humble NTUC Fairprice supermarkets, which is where
the average Singaporean has traditionally shopped for affordable groceries, suggesting
a wider availability of such nutritious alternatives to the ‘hollow abundance’ described by
Wilson.
Therefore, while I agree that there is a plethora of food options in affluent
Singapore, not all of the food is killing us. Singaporeans, with their changing
mindsets, also have many options available to make healthier dietary choices to
mitigate the harm caused by modern diets.
OBSERVATION 2
Wilson also argues that the ‘marketing and availability of nutrient-poor foods’ (line
40) is to blame for unhealthy eating habits today.
• This seems to ring a bell with the technologically-savvy and consumerist society
that is Singapore. Here, the advertising industry is highly-developed, as marketing and
promotional content permeate both traditional and new media platforms.
• Fast food chain McDonald’s is just one of many businesses that utilise digital, print and
television advertisements to drive its ‘I’m lovin’ it’, ‘Come Home to McDonald’s’ and
#TheFriesYouLove campaigns. These subliminal messages are fired through print
decals on SMRT trains, sponsored Instagram posts as well as video advertisements that
spring up on YouTube and television programmes.
• Mcdonald’s is also especially aggressive in its location strategy. It has a comprehensive
team to select the best site for new outlets, ensuring that close-to-home proximity is
always there for time-strapped Singaporeans. McDonald’s, along with its other
competitors, also partake in ‘glocalisation’, where they introduce fusion offerings that
involve local cooking styles and flavours. Their Nasi Lemak burger, Burger King’s
Rendang burger and Long John Silver’s Salted Egg Yolk-inspired menu draw
Singaporeans towards them at all times of the year.
• Unsurprisingly, the latest figures in 2018 from the Department of Statistics tell us that
sales in the fast food sector grew 29 per cent, despite the food and beverage industry
experiencing an overall 10 per cent decline in sales.
• The ubiquitous hawker centres, which cater to most Singaporeans’ daily meals, also add
to the availability by offering an impressive range of dishes and cuisines. Singapore is
also home to 12 hawker stalls that are either on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list, or have
even been awarded the prestigious Michelin Star. It is no wonder that these awardwinning calorific dishes such as chicken rice, char kway teow and laksa are some of the
most common hawker options here.
• As Singaporeans sought comfort food during the unsettling Circuit Breaker period,
businesses were more than happy to oblige. Bubble tea stores collaborated with food
businesses to ensure that Singaporeans could still flood them with orders, while
businesses behind the droves of basque burnt cheesecakes and monster cookies went
on the charm offensive with their Instagram advertisements and home delivery options.
• Nevertheless, this situation is not as bleak as the Singaporean government taking
more active measures to control and restrict the promotion and supply of
unhealthy food.
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The International Diabetes Federation’s 2015 report condemning Singapore as having
the second-highest proportion of diabetics among developed nations really put the
spotlight on Singaporeans’ diets. The fact that projected figures by the National
University of Singapore showing that 1 in 2 Singaporeans by 2050 are likely to suffer
from Type 2 Diabetes in their lifetime did not help matters.
The government, has since been at the forefront to limit the marketing and availability of
nutrient-poor foods. The Ministry of Health confirmed in 2019 that it had worked and
reached an agreement with supermarkets and manufacturers to stop selling products
with partially-hydrogenated oils by June 2020. Working closely with six key players,
ranging from NTUC Fairprice to Nestle, over 50 per cent of snacks, baked goods,
prepared meals and fat spreads will no longer have the artificial trans fats that increase
the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
In 2017, the NurtureSG task force was set up to limit the availability of unhealthy food in
schools. All pre-schools are no longer allowed to serve unhealthy options such as sugary
drinks or deep-fried and preserved food. More than 80 per cent of all schools from
primary to junior college level are also on board the Healthy Meals in Schools
Programmes, where canteen vendors must serve healthier food – such as white rice
mixed with brown rice, or wholemeal bread for sandwiches.
In addition, Singaporeans have access to healthier alternatives at fast food chains, like
the option to switch corn cups for fries at McDonald’s or 4Fingers’ Tofu and Mushroom
Salad. Meanwhile, supermarkets have carved out sections that provide dedicated
access to organic foods. It is thus difficult for one to argue that healthier diets are not
available or accessible to Singaporeans.
Singapore was also the first country in the world to totally ban advertisements of
packaged drinks with high sugar content. Such drinks as well as medium-to-high sugar
content drinks must also carry a label on the front of the pack to signal that it is unhealthy.
Such policies are possible as Singaporeans are willing to accept high levels of state
intervention via regulations if it is seen as being beneficial to society.
With such efforts across various stakeholders, the National Nutrition Survey in 2018
showed a mean intake of 2,470 calories a day – an unsurprising reversal of the increase
from 2,110 calories in 1998 to 2,600 by 2010. As Mr Zee Yoong Kang, chief executive
officer of HPB, rightly pointed out, the trend of worsening diet had been “arrested”, even
as there was still a considerable consumption of sugar and salt.
The Straits Times also reported in 2019 that the surge in demand for wholegrain rice
since 2016 had caught Thai exporters by surprise, and even resulted in a temporary
shortage of the healthier staple.
Evidently, even as Singaporeans have a considerable variety of unhealthy food
options presented to them, a strong governmental involvement has ensured that
both the promotion and supply is heavily regulated to prevent unhealthy food
choices.
OBSERVATION 3
Wilson argues that our diets today are unhealthy as ‘most of us also eat and drink
more than our grandparents did’ (lines 51–52), whether we are cooking from scratch
or ordering takeaways from food outlets.
• Certainly, there is an element of truth, especially when we juxtapose Singaporean
diets today with the highly traumatic experience of food scarcity that many Singaporeans
lived through during the Japanese Occupation and in the years after the Second World
War. Many older Singaporeans remember the days of food rationing during the
Japanese Occupation and recount how root vegetables such as tapioca and sweet
potato were grown as substitutes for rice.
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The highly stressful nature of Singaporean life also makes this point relatable, as
Singaporeans turn to junk food as a form of relief. According to the Ministry of Health,
the intensity of salt hitting our senses or a satisfying crunch bring most people comfort
and relief; it is this so-called ‘bliss point’ that make Singaporeans consume a lot more
food.
A combination of Singaporeans’ affluence and their love for value and a good deal is
another reason behind why Singaporeans eat more today. Buffets are especially popular
in the Singapore context. Ranging from hotpot buffets that line up along the streets in
Bugis, to the themed durian and chocolate buffets at hotels like Goodwood Park and the
Fullerton, and the a la carte buffets at Chinese restaurants like Ban Heng and Tung Lok
Seafood Restaurant, Singaporeans clearly fancy the ‘eat-all-you-can’ concept where
they pay a flat fee and stuff themselves full.
Being an Asian society at heart, the idea of abundance and ‘face’ is also highly valued.
This explains why celebratory meals such as wedding banquets are often bursting with
multiple courses, where it is also typical for hosts to cater portions that are more than
enough for the number of guests.
Today, Singaporeans are also spoilt for choice with the array of cuisines as well as the
variety of dining options available to them, which often leads to Singaporeans eating
more for the simple reason that they can. Singaporeans are more than likely to opt for a
cup of post-lunch brown sugar boba milk or an avocado milkshake as a pick-me-up or
indulge in an afternoon snack, especially since traditional treats, like the humble curry
puff, have been reimagined into a smorgasbord of tantalising, yet affordable, snacks by
local eateries like Old Chang Kee. Anyone who has attended a conference or a training
session in Singapore will be well-versed with the idea of a mid-morning and a midafternoon break, which are both often sumptuously catered with cream puffs, eclairs and
fruit punch.
Clearly, such indulgences have led to the consumption of more calories than necessary
making our diets unhealthy in the process.
Singaporeans love a good bargain, and with supermarkets like NTUC Fairprice and
Giant offering weekly deals that often involve ‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free’ deals that encourage
more consumption, we end up falling for these sales tactics and end up buying and
eating more. As Wilson puts it, ‘our food supply sends us crazy signals about what is
normal’ (lines 17–18), and people find it difficult to eat in moderation.
However, all is not lost as highly-educated Singaporeans are increasingly
cognizant of the need to exercise greater control over the diet, especially when it
comes to portion control.
In highly-wired Singapore, there has also been consistent effort by various government
agencies to increase awareness of the harmful effects of over-indulgence in food, so
that Singaporeans can rationalise and understand why they need to pay more attention
to how much they are eating.
For example, HPB has spearheaded the My Healthy Plate initiative, which provides a
visual representation of a portion-controlled balanced meal. Non-governmental
organisations like the National Kidney Foundation have also stepped up to the plate,
with educational posters and brochures as well as campaigns to educate Singaporeans
about healthy portions.
Furthermore, a 2019 survey conducted by the National Environment Agency (NEA)
found that more Singaporeans are becoming conscious about the food waste they
produce. While this does not immediately show that Singaporeans eat less, it does
highlight that more Singaporeans are likely to make more conscious food choices,
whether they dine-in or cook at home, if they are less-inclined to waste food.
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Doctors and dietians at Singapore General Hospital also shared in 2018 that an
increasing number of patients have asked about Intermittent Fasting, the latest lifestyle
craze to hit Singaporean shores. The regimen involves fasting for certain hours of the
day, or for entire days, and reflects Singaporeans’ active interest in controlling how much
they are eating.
While the temptation to over-indulge is always present in a food paradise like
Singapore, steps taken by more self-aware Singaporeans mean that they are
moving towards a more balanced approach, where they can enjoy all that the
culinary scene has to offer in moderation.
OBSERVATION 4
In lines 62–63, Bee Wilson claims that ‘unhealthy food, eaten in a hurry, seems to be
the price we pay for living in liberated modern societies’. While this may seem
characteristic of Singapore due to her fast-paced society, there are increasing
measures taken by both locals and the government to live and eat better.
• At first glance, Singaporeans do seem to take their food in a hurried, careless manner.
Many Singaporeans enjoy having their daily coffee and tea in takeaway plastic cups,
and purchase quick lunches with little thought given to the nutritional value of the food.
• Food, it seems, is only for refueling and little else. This is in part due to the fast-paced
society, where workers tend to grab food from conveniently-located fast food outlets,
vending machines, kiosks and convenience stores near their workplace, or in transit.
• Busy lifestyles also mean that many eat out, or opt for easy-to-prepare processed food,
which is typically higher in calories and more likely to be junk than healthful food.
• However, it is important to note that Singaporeans, more than most other people
in the world, value a good meal and often set aside time for it.
• With eating commonly regarded as the nation’s favourite pastime, Singaporeans make
sure they set aside time for it, even as some meals do have to be taken on the go.
• Be it with family or friends, food is typically the platform upon which Singaporeans come
together to unwind, catch up and bond. The birthday celebration set-up at popular hotpot
restaurant HaiDiLao, which prepares a LED-powered ‘Happy Birthday’ board for phototaking, as well as the big-table settings available at music food-park Timbre, are just
some examples that show how common it is for Singaporeans to come together for hours
to celebrate or have a night out with friends over a meal.
• The threat of not having enough time to properly savour their food amidst a hectic
lifestyle has also led the growth of the Slow Food Movement, which aims to encourage
locals to slow down their pace of life and to enjoy traditional, healthy foods instead of
eating simply as a functional way of refueling their bodies.
• The Slow Food Movement was received with open arms, and has since partnered with
educational institutions such as Temasek Polytechnic, the Singapore Management
University and even hotels to educate and provide healthier food to the population.
• Therefore, although it may seem as if Singaporeans’ fast-paced lives only allow
for quick, functional and unhealthy eating, that does not always hold true as there
is increasing interest in slowing down and returning to mindful, healthy eating.
CONCLUSION
• As a national pastime, food will always command a distinct level of importance in
Singaporean hearts. Whether as a means to deal with stress, or to celebrate an
occasion, the exposure to the ills of modern cuisine is unlikely to go away. Thankfully,
well-planned initiatives and cooperation amongst various organisations, coupled with a
population that is well aware of the dangers of an unhealthy diet, mean that
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Singaporeans, in general, are well-positioned to have a well-balanced diet within a food
paradise.
Good AQ samples from students
Sample 1
In my society, Korea, people are generally more health-conscious compared to the past
when food was scarce and people had fewer concerns about the nutrients of the food they
ate. Wilson argues that the factors contributing to unhealthy diets. Although her
observations hold some truth in my society, they are not fully relevant in my society. Hence,
I largely disagree with her observations.
In paragraph 5, line 46, the author argued that ‘in many supermarkets, you can choose from
thousands of different sugary snack bars but only one variety of banana’. This shows that
unhealthy diets are due to the limited availability of unhealthy foods compared to the variety
of healthy foods available in markets that make it difficult for people to eat healthily. Although
there is some truth in this, I largely disagree with it. It is true that there are many unhealthy
foods available in the markets, including various flavours of instant noodles, different kinds
of frozen food and snacks. These are often sold in bundles and at cheaper prices. However,
it is not true to say that there are limited options for healthy food. In Korea, many are very
health-conscious, especially young women influenced by the media showing skinny and fit
k-pop idols. Due to this, many tend to go for healthier options and fuel an increase in
demand, which then leads to a large variety of healthy foods available. Or example, as there
is a higher demand for chicken breast meat, many firms such as I’m Dak have started to
produce flavoured chicken breast sausage that is low in calories, yet still tasty to satisfy
Koreans’ demand for healthy foods. There are also frozen konjak fried rice packs that are
lower in calories for people who want to reduce their calorie intake. In addition to the variety
of healthy food choices, there has also been a greater variety in how people can have
access to healthy food. As many Koreans like to engage food delivery services, there are
also catering companies that deliver healthy packaged food, with calories under 500 kcal.
People can also order online as a bundle from websites like Gmarket and Naver Shopping
to have a much wider variety of healthy food options at a cheaper cost. Therefore, I disagree
with her observation as many Koreans have easy access to a variety of healthier foods
which do not contribute to their unhealthy diets.
In paragraph 6, line 53, Wilson also highlights that ‘plates are bigger than they were fifty
years ago, our idea of a portion is inflated and wine glasses are vast’. Wilson argues that
people have unhealthy diets as people generally eat more than the past. Although this has
some truth to it in my society, I largely disagree with her observation. It is true that people
have been eating a lot more nowadays compared to the post-war era when korea was still
a third-world country and was suffering from the damage brought about by the Japanese
occupation and Korean War. Food was scarce and many had to starve. However, nowadays
Korea is one of the wealthiest nations in Asia and people generally eat more since food
security is not an issue anymore. Furthermore, due to the rise of ‘mukbang’, popularised
online content where people film themselves eating huge amounts of food, people are
starting to eat excessively to the point that the government is trying to regulate the
‘mukbang’ craze in order to curb the rise in obesity amoung the youth. Furthermore, many
Koreans have started to prefer to shop at Costco, an American warehouse chain that sells
products in bundles. Such shopping patterns unsurprisingly lead to Koreans eating much
more. However, this is not a fully accurate reflection of my society as there are people who
are concerned about the amount they eat and tend to eat less to maintain their fitness. This
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is due to the influence of the media, which focuses on healthy diets, emphasizing that eating
less or moderate amounts is the key to keeping fit. There are programmes like Diet War,
Diet TV Vitamins in korea that educate people about the negative impact of eating
excessively. Furthermore, many programmes also feature k-pop idols’ diets, which
encourage people to follow them. A diet method introduced by a member of Girls’
Generation, where one scoops rice to fill a paper cup and only eating that amount, became
a recent trend. Therefore, I disagree with her observation that eating more has contributed
to the role of obesity as it is not commonly observed although present in Korea.
Kim Minsun
CG 11/19
Marks: 7/10
Sample 2
In the context of my Singaporean society, which is an affluent society renowned for its
penchant and great love for food, similar trends of increasingly unhealthy modern diets that
Wilson raises can also be seem amongst Singaporeans. But whilst Singapore does report
relatively high level of diabetes amongst its population, Singaporeans’ diets are not as
severely unhealthy as Wilson paints them out to be. Thus, I would tend to disagree with her
observations on the factors causing modern diets to by unhealthy.
Firstly, whilst I agree with her observation that the “psychology of eating has radically
changed” (line 60), I disagree that the trend is that “unhealthy food, eaten in a hurry is the
price we pay for living in liberated societies” (lines 62-63). With regards to Singapore, where
many of its inhabitants lead busy, fast-paced lives as the hardest working nation, working
the longest hours for four consecutive years, it is inevitable that the nature of Singaporeans’
eating habits have changed to accommodate their busy working schedules – resulting in
more desire for speed in the food. As a result, a proportion of Singapore’s busy office
workers and students turn to unhealthy fast food chains like McDonald’s or KFC which are
abundant and readily available in the Central Business District (CBD) and even within
campuses. However, the Singaporean food scene proves that ‘fast’ food need not be
unhealthy fries and a burger. With the rise of food delivery services like Food Panda and
GrabFood, busy Singaporeans can get their lunch fix within the tight constraints of their
packed work schedules and many choose healthier options like salads and mixed rice
dishes that offer vegetables outside McDonald’s fries. This is thanks to an abundance of
hawker and healthy food joints that are equally abundant. So while Wilson suggests the
psychology of eating has indeed changed to become more fast-paced, this does not entail
unhealthy food invading Singaporeans’ diets. In fact the idea that the psychology of food
has become more hurried can be contested, given Singaporeans, however busy, seek their
pockets of leisure time through eating, given that it can be observed that many office
workers start their mornings in coffee-shops like Ya Kun Kaya Toast to enjoy breakfast with
their colleagues. This I disagree with Wilson’s observation.
Additionally, I disagree with Wilson’s observation that “across all social classes, most of us
also eat and drink more than our grandparents did, whether we are cooking a leisurely
dinner at home from fresh ingredients or grabbing takeaway from a fast food chain” (lines
51–53) as a reason for unhealthier modern diets. Wilson’s observation that the concept of
portion control has been abandoned in society thereby leading to overeating is not
completely baseless sin Singapore, given that it is unarguably true that portion sizes have
grown compared to the amount of food on our predecessors’ plates. However, this is
reasonable and not necessarily an ‘unhealthy’ trend, given compared to our grandparents
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who lived within their own meagre means at the time of Singapore’s newly gained
independence, they were still growing out the habit of rationing food that had been instilled
by the horrors of the Japanese Occupation. There is no question that Singaporeans’
improved living conditions today have allowed us to eat more than our underfed
predecessors. What’s more, it is not as common a trend as Wilson claims it to be for people
to overeat with respect to Singapore. Given the preparedness and responsiveness of the
Singapore Government, especially given the high incidence of diabetes in Singaporeans in
the 2010s, great efforts were put in place to pass on healthy eating habits to the population,
especially with regards to portioning. For students for example, many were taught since
Primary School the suggested portion sizes of ¼ cup of rice to ½ cup of vegetables and ¼
cup of meat for the meals and this is guideline that schools and many eateries adopt in
portioning meals. Thus, I disagree with Wilson’s observation.
Overall, Wilson’s observations do hold some truth with regards to the nature of increased
unhealthy eating in my Singaporean society, but they reflect a much more extreme and fire
situation than that observed in Singapore. Whilst it is undeniable that Singaporean diet have
become slightly unhealthier, it can be said that the Singaporean society, through selfawareness of both the government and the people, are able to curb the decent into an
unhealthy society by displaying health-conscious habits and efforts with regards to eating.
Thus, the factors listed by Wilson causing modern diets to be unhealthy do not completely
apply to Singapore and I would tend to disagree with her observations.
Elise Lauw
CG 19/19
Marks: 7/10
Marked and prepared by Ms Cheah Lee Huang, Ms Elim Cheng, Mr Eric Yap and Ms
Vidhya Logendran
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