Reference questions

Types of reference words

在 Paper I 中最常見的題型正是 Reference words，雖然佔分不重，但卻是年年翻炒的題目。

首先，Reference words 都是指對 Pronoun 的理解程度。在 KO 題型之前，我們要了解何謂
「Pronoun（代名詞）」。
簡而言之，用來代替前面說過的名詞。文法學上來說，Pronoun 分為 Personal Pronoun 和
Demonstrative Pronoun。而 Personal Pronoun 主要分成四類：Subject Pronouns, Object
Pronouns, Possessive Adjectives 和 Possessive Pronouns。他們分別放置在句子中不同的位置，
也有不同的作用。

DSE 題目以 Subject pronoun、Objective pronoun 和 Generic words 這三類為主。但萬變不離其

中，只需要小心留意 Pronoun 的類型和詞性，就輕鬆 KO DSE 題目。
Pronoun = 代名詞 = 代替名詞的名詞
ANS = noun / noun phrase

If Pronoun = Plural
ANS = Plural

If Possession Pronoun (his/her/their/our/its…) = 要加 ‘s / s’

Q: What does ‘their’ refer to?
ANS = the organizations’

Technique

Golden Rule 1

Pronoun = 代名詞 =

Highlight 所有前面的 noun (大多數在前面)

Golden Rule 2

分辨名詞是否 plural (眾數) =

Cross out 不合適的名詞

A. Personal Pronouns = 指人或機構
‘I’, ‘You’, ‘He’, ‘She’, ‘It’, ‘My’, ‘Your’, ‘His’, ‘Her’, ‘Its’
‘We’, ‘They’, ‘Them’, ‘Us’…

Level 1 Question

Twenty-eight Uber drivers, aged between 22 and 60, have been fined at the Kowloon City
Magistrates' Courts today after they were convicted of a count of driving a motor vehicle for the
carriage of passengers for hire or reward. They were fined between HK$3,800 and HK$4,500 and
ordered to pay within two days.

What does ‘they’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Democratic Party lawmaker Helena Wong Pik-wan on Thursday called on the government to probe
whether false data was used in a report submitted on the water quality at a newly built public
housing estate in Kwai Fong, RTHK reported.

This comes after large discrepancies were found between the test results of water samples taken
from the estate by her party, and those taken by the government. Samples collected by the
Democratic party showed lead levels in tap water at the estate were above what is recommended by
the WHO.

After Democratic Party members told the media on Wednesday about their test results, the Water
Supplies Department and the Housing Department said the test results they had received showed
the lead content was within safety limits.

What does ‘they’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Five professional groups have reiterated their calls for the government to scrap a HK$1.7 billion plan
to construct a pedestrian bridge in Yuen Long, and suggested widening roads as an alternative.

They are the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Institute of Landscape Architects, the Institute of
Planners, the Institute of Surveyors and the Institute of Urban Design.

Discussion of the project's funding in the Legislative Council was postponed after the groups first
voiced their opposition to the plan. The government said it would take the groups' concerns into
account, but insisted that it would not scrap the project.

What does ‘it’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________
B. Pronouns refer to things or ideas

Demonstrative Pronouns Pronouns

‘this’, ‘that’ ‘it’

‘these’, ‘those’ ‘them’

** 要留意 pronouns refer to things or ideas 也有機會是 personal pronouns 來的。

Level 1 Question

The founder of the Hong Kong National Party, Chan Ho-tin, said on Wednesday that he may seek a
judicial review if the government goes ahead and bans his group.

Speaking on a RTHK program, Chan said the police have put together a dossier consisting of more
than 700 pages against his party, recording every word that he has said at press conferences, public
forums and interviews.

They used it to cite how his party is a threat to the integrity and security of China, he said.

What does ‘it’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Pest control experts are reporting that many areas of Hong Kong are experiencing serious rat
problems, after hot weather has increased rodent breeding rates.

According to the latest statistics from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the
number of rodents caught by the government has been on the rise in recent years. A total of 41,038
rodents were trapped and poisoned by the department in 2017. This is around 10,000 more than in
2014.

What does ‘this’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________
C. Demonstrative Pronouns (refer to places)

‘here’, ‘there’, ‘this’, ‘that’

Level 1 Question

The children were found on a deserted island. The group had been there for 24 hours with no food
and only trees as shelter.

What does ‘there’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________

The annual report said Hong Kong tops 293 cities for its open and free economic structure, as well as
its simple taxation regime. However, the report noted there is a lack of breakthrough in the
development of innovative and technology sectors and transformation of local industries.

What does ‘there’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________

D. Generic Words

the advantage the disadvantage the idea the issue

the opinion the plan the point the problem

the reason the solution

Past paper Level 1 Question

2011-CE PAPER1A PART 2

Nigeria has the second highest HIV and AIDS infection rate in the world. That's why Youth for
Development volunteer Heather Aicock is there, working with a community organization in Lagos
that provides care and support for people affected by AIDS. Here, Heather describes a typical day,
from her unusual wake-up call and commute to work, to the huge inequality she witnesses on a day
to day basis.

What does ‘there’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________

2011-CE PAPER1A PART 3

If you have no clue about what to do, consider one of the organizations that provides gap-year
solutions. Some charge a fee for this advice, and the programs they recommend can be costly too,
so keep that in mind as you proceed. The benefit most often publicized by these kinds of
organizations is a long term one: employers do seem to value those candidates who have taken this
option. They see it as showing an interest in the non-academic side of life and a sign of initiative.
However, that assumes that you spend the time doing something useful such as joining a project to
study coral reefs, helping in a wildlife sanctuary or leaming a new language. In other words
something other than lounging around the house!

A gap year might also be the right option if you're not completely sure what you want to do at
university, or if you don't even know if you want to go there at all. Taking a gap year will buy you
time and give you a chance to think about what you want to do with your life or what you want to
study. Plus, you won't have to worry about university applications during your final year of A. Levels,
and the stress levels when the results are released will be much reduced!

What does ‘they’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________

What does ‘there’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________

2010-CE PAPER1A PART 2

As I boarded the school bus, I was greeted with laughter. One boy said: “No-one uses them any
more.” Another said: “Groovy.” Yet another one joked: “That would be hard to lose.”

My friends couldn’t imagine their parents using this monstrous box, but there was interest in what
the thing was and how it worked.

Throughout my week using the Walkman, I came to realise that I have very little knowledge of
technology from the past.

What does ‘thing’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________
2009-CE PAPER1A PART 2
• My best teacher
By Mary Li
Compensatory bars of chocolate and discussions about relationships were behind this writer’s
admiration for her English teacher.

Mrs Vanda Symons joined White Cliff School, an international school in Kowloon, as vice principal
and head of English when I was in form six, just as I was starting A-levels. I was determined to go to
university to read history, which up to then had been my favourite subject. I was vaguely hoping to
work for the government in the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, and if it hadn’t been for Vanda I
would probably have ended up dusting off manuscripts in a basement.

What does ‘I’ refer to in the text? Write the name of the person below.

__________________________________________________________________________________

2009-CE PAPER1A PART 3

But this experiment, for a BBC TV documentary, was all about the young teaching the young. Those
behind it wanted to see if there was anything the educational establishment could learn from
teenagers who thought they could do a better job than their teachers. Thousands applied to take
part, and the final 12 were chosen because of their radical ideas for changing the education system.
All had a point to prove. One left school after getting pregnant at 16. Some were passionate about
giving pupils a voice; others were motivated by their own school experience.

What does ‘it’ refer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________
What does ‘thousands’ refer to?
Thousands of _______________________________________________________________________