STUDENTS’ English Corner

A Shocking Discovery
By Chua Ker Yung (U6SB2)

Ever since I was a little child, I always envisioned myself winning the Nobel
Prize for science. I always had a flair for science and had believed that I would someday
make one of mankind’s great discoveries. Little did I know that I would indeed make the
find of the century!
Alas, the dreams of youth are easily shattered. Although I did have a keen interest
in science, fate kept putting obstacles in my way. My parents died in a plane crash when I
was ten. I was put into an orphanage till I was 18. I managed to secure a scholarship to
study my basic science degree, but unfortunately, the government took back the
scholarship. I had no choice but to work part time to pay on my tuition fees.
Nevertheless, I managed to get a doctorate degree and passed with a distinction. CES, the
corporation of Elite Scientist accepted me as a member, but later stopped my funding as
they thought I was a madman. They perceived my scientific genius as the ravings of a
madman. Rejected, I had no choice but to do some small scale research with the pittance I
had managed to save. I thought to myself: “How true the Chinese saying goes. How
could those sparrows even begin to understand the dreams of a phoenix?”
As time went by, my savings grew thinner and thinner. I decided that I might as
well as just buy myself a boat and fish for a living. Furthermore, this would provide me
with the opportunity to study the marine ecosystem as well as provide me with a way to
bring back the bacon. And so, that was how I turned into a fisherman instead of an
aspiring scientist.
Contrary to popular belief, my life as a fisherman was quite enjoyable. I managed
to learn a lot from what I observed from ocean life. However, they weren’t astounding
enough to be my ‘big comeback’ to the scientific world. Furthermore, my fishing trips
were usually very successful. I managed to earn millions by selling the cod and salmon
my fishing trips get me. I was especially eager to catch these fishes as they were deep
water fish and enabled me a chance to learn more about the ecology of deep water
habitats which no one has as yet learnt much about.
Life went on till I was about thirty-five years old. That was when I was caught in
a raging storm. A hurricane came upon me in mere minutes and swept me and my boat
away. The storm lasted for ten whole days and wrecked most of my navigation
equipment. Food was running scarce and I was thankful that the storm stopped before I
ran out of my supply of food and clean water. However, the storm stranded me in the
middle of the ocean with no way to return home. Fortunately, fuel reserves were plentiful.
So, I just steered my boat eastwards and sailed, hoping to find land and civilization.
On the third day of my journey, I came across a big island which was filled with
dense forestation. I decided to land my ship and refill my stock of drinking water. I took a
pistol and a blade and went into the forest in search for a river. I soon heard the sound of
flowing water and headed towards it. When I reached the river, I was so happy that I just
leapt into the river without a second thought; to cool down my body. It had been a
fortnight since my last bath and I was eager to cleanse my body of the sweat and dirt.
When I finally managed to pull myself out of the river, the first thing to grace my
eyes was a horse looking straight back at me. Normally, one would think that this would
be quite common. However, the horse looking straight at me was pure white and had a

© smjk Chung Hwa, Kota Bharu

STUDENTS’ English Corner

pair of wings! It was none other than the legendary Pegasus! Then, I heard a loud voice in
my head. “Human! What are you doing in the land of utopia?” The sound was neither
hostile nor friendly. Instead, I sounded like it was full of curiosity. “Amazingly!” I
thought to myself. “This creature has the use of mental telepathy!” Hoping that it would
understand English, I told the Pegasus that I was researching for my home when I
chanced upon the island. Amazingly, it understands me and told me that I was welcome
in utopia. Then, I asked him if there were any more animals like him. His answer was
positive and he even agreed to take me to see the ‘others’.
My heart was racing as I followed the Pegasus. “What is this place it called
utopia? Why is this place unknown to man? How did it come to be?” The questions raced
through my minds. As we came to a clearing, the most amazing things came into sight.
There was a dragon sailing through the air. Its sleek slender shape cutting through the air
like a hot knife would butter yet the movement was smooth and silky. On the ground
feasting on the remains of an animal, was a gryphon. I was immediately taken aback.
However, the Pegasus told me not to worry, and that the animals here only ate dead
animals. They were peaceful and never harmed any other living thing.
Just then, it struck me! The similarities between the animals here were so obvious
that I wondered why I didn’t see this before! All the animals here were hexapods!
Animals with three pairs of limbs. Until now, all vertebrates were tetra pods, which
meant they only had four limbs. However, the animals here had six! One pair of wings, a
pair of forearms and hind limbs each! The implication was astounding! This would mean
that the animals here took a very different evolutionary pathway that which the known
world took. This was a very shocking discovery indeed!
Graced, with the discovery of a lifetime, I was not that eager to return home
without fully researching the animals. I stayed with the animals for three years before I
decided that I had satisfied myself. I packed my data and returned back to civilization.
This, of course was the biggest discovery man had ever made and naturally, I received the
Nobel Prize. And that is how I made the greatest discovery of my lifetime. Thus, I turned
from scientist to fisherman to Noble Prize recipient.

© smjk Chung Hwa, Kota Bharu