Chapter 1: Artists Discussion Questions Discuss the answers to these questions with your classmates.

1. How do you think painting helped Frida Kahlo with her problems?

In my opinion, I think painting served as a medium for Frida to vent her all her frustration, sadness and other emotional turbulences out. In this way, Frida would not become a woman deeply depressed, consumed by her own grief and frustration. Through painting, Frida found a new meaning of life as well as a better way to live her own life after the fateful accident. Through painting, Frida would not feel like an invalid. She would feel that she still can do almost anything. This was especially important to boost her confidence in life and the real world. Soon she would not feel handicapped and hampered by her physical disabilities because she knew that despite her physical weaknesses, she was still the same person she was since young.
2. Many of Kahlos paintings express pain and tragedy. Do you like to see this in a

work of art? If so, why? If not, what would you like to see? Yes. This is because I think pain and tragedy can depict and portray the reality of this world better and in finer detail. When I see a piece of art expressing pain and tragedy, I will reflect on all the things I have done throughout my life. I will think about my sins and what I should do to be cleared of them. Only when I saw pain and tragedy that I will feel more appreciative towards my life. I will also realize that how fortunate I am and how many people out there who do not have Lady Luck on their side.
3. What is your opinion of the mischievous acts carried out by the Cachuchas?

Why did they do these things? Was their behaviour acceptable? Why or why not? I think those acts are very rude and the Cachuchas should be dealt with severely. They did these things mainly because they wanted to show their contempt for authority. They also wanted to show that they are not tied to the social standards of that time and that they are in fact on a class of their own. They also wanted to gain attention from the teachers and students in their school. In my opinion, their behaviour was not acceptable. This is because in my opinion, every person in this world is the same. There is no need to show off what you are capable of. Displaying our talents is a good thing, but we must do it the correct and polite way so that we will not irritate or hurt others. Other than that, their mischievous acts had done nothing good to themselves, their school or the community. Instead of wasting their time and getting into trouble for nothing, they should make full use of their relatively high intellects and carry out beneficial activities for the school and the local community.

4. Is it important to know about an artists life in order to understand his or her

work? Yes. We can know what influenced an artists style of art and the reasons behind it by looking through the artists life history. Chapter 2: How a Building Changed a City Discussions Questions Discuss the answers to these questions with your classmates.
1. What are some of the most famous buildings and cities in your country? Why

are they admired? One of the buildings is the PETRONAS Twin Tower. It is the tallest twin tower in the whole world. It marks the centre of Kuala Lumpur, which is the capital of our dearest country. It also symbolises Malaysias achievement both economically and socially. Besides that, it is an amazing structure which never fails to attract millions of visitors every year. Another famous building is the Kuala Lumpur tower. Besides being a neighbour to the PETRONAS Twin Tower, the 421-meter-tall building is also first major buildings that managed to become well known to the whole world. Famous for its rotating restaurant at the top of the tower, the tower also functions as the heart of communication for the city of Kuala Lumpur. One of the famous cities in Malaysia is the Historical City of Melaka. Its historical reputation is further reinforced after it was announced as a World Heritage Site. In Melaka, buildings that run back into the times of Portuguese, Dutch, English and Japanese settlements as well as other local traditional buildings can be found. The Jonker Street and the Heeren Street is famous for their Baba and Nyonya Heritage. Not to be forgotten is Melakas local cuisine, of which Nyonya dishes are a must-try for every person who visits Melaka. Another famous city is Georgetown in Pulau Pinang. Also a World Heritage site, it is famous for its rich English history background and the local cuisines, especially the Mee Laksa. Other than that, it is one of the well-developed cities in Malaysia and major tourist attractions such as beaches, hills and shopping centres can be found there.
2. What are some of the great architectural wonders around the world? What

makes them great? One of the greatest wonders is the Sydney Opera House. It is a multi-venue performing arts center in the Australian city of Sydney. The design of the opera house is inspired from shells, thus giving it its unique appearance. The design itself is simply breathtaking enough to make it literally one of the places we must visit before we die. Added with its equally excellent interior designs and the thousands of performances and concerts and shows it holds every year, the place is worth visiting at least once in our lives. Another great place is the mysterious and enchanted city of Petra in Jordan. Called the Red City, it is an ancient rose-red city half as old as time. Most of the buildings in Petra are built onto the walls of the cliffs and valleys and gorges

themselves. The delicate carvings of eastern and western style combination are like an icing on a delicious cake on the beautiful red stone buildings. What makes the city so attractive is that we can hardly ever find a city so mystifying quiet and dormant like the charming Petra.
3. Which cities would you like to visit and why?

I would like to visit Sydney in Australia. I wanted to witness its most famous attraction the Sydney Opera House by myself. Other than that, I would want to visit Paris to feel its artistic, romantic and stylish atmosphere. Hangzhou with its famous lake the magnificent Xi Hu also looks very appealing to me.