2122 S6RM Topic analysis and writing practice

Names of groupmates: Manda, Osanna, Chloe

Source of writing question:
HKDSE 2B year____2020______, Question number ___3____

Collaborative topic analysis:

Purpose of writing:
Role & task Role: New reporter
Task: write a news report for the Hong Kong Post to explain the
trend and discuss whether independent stationery shops can survive

Target readers /
audience: The general public

Genre (special
features, if any) : News report
- Title is needed
- Figures/interview/data could be used
- Use passive voice
- Include responses from the interviewees ( the
owner/customers)

Tone and Style:

informative, factual, neutral, formal

Language &
Sentence patterns Sentence pattern
Pinning the blame directly to ...
It is hard to envisage it...
Left no choice but to…
A forceful illustration is that…
Hardly can …, if …
If ___ were to …, ___ would …
The more …, the more...

Relevant vocabs/phrases:
Reverse the trend, at stake , the fate of , technology-driven lifestyle
...in this day and age, turnaround, prospect, prognosis
Connectives /
transitional phrases In a bid to level the playing field, / On top of it, / In the first place,
/ In furtherance of the above, / despite the.. / In this regard, / As a
matter of fact, / With reference to.../ On the contrary,
Organization of Contents

Introduction:

An interview with the stationery store owner

Explaining the trend

1. Fierce competition among small and chain stationery stores

2. Consumers’ consumption habit: switch to online shopping
a. Large-scale companies: develop online platform for customers
b. Individuals: from ig shops or taobao

Discussing whether small independent stationery stores can survive

Yes, they have a great possibility to survive:

1. collective memories of Hong kongers - nostalgic
2. More affordable price (compare with large chain stores)
3. (On the other hand) Soaring Rental expenses and other operating costs

No, it is unlikely for them to survive:

1. High Operating cost → unable to bear the financial burden
a. Skyrocketing Rental expenses,
b. Hefty Purchasing cost
2. Advanced technology →demand for stationery plummets
a. Apple Pencil replaced the use of real, physical stationeries
b. Documents can be filed in digital form (go paperless)
3. (On the other hand) it’s a collective memory of Hong konger - nostalgic

Conclusion:

If you take the side ‘NO’

- (brief summary of your ideas) It is sad to admit that the business environment in
Hong Kong does not favour the operation of independent stationery shops / It is
clearly that they find difficulty in fitting in this fast-pace business world
- Yet, if we do XXX / the government do YYY the trend could possibly be reversed
- (bring out a positive hope) Let’s preserve this unique local cultural heritage as well
as our precious collective memories / Don’t let these XXX and YYY fade away

If you take the side ‘YES’

- (brief summary of your ideas) It is glad to know that there are still a lot of Hong
Kongers supporting these small-scale stationery stores
- (bring out your worry towards it) Yet, we shouldn’t rule out the possibility of them
shutting down due to the gradual domination by large-scale franchise stores
 - (positive hope) We still hope that ...

Tips / advice for candidates:

Content
TRAP: carefully distinguish between the reasons for the
trend and the reasons for stationery shops unable to survive

Language
Use more synonym (avoid keep using the same word)
- E.g. Close down = terminate the business = die down
= shut down = forced to dissolve = go bankruptcy
- Eg. Decrease = curtail ≈ shrink = decline = dwindle
=diminish

Apply more thematic words/phrases

- E.g. Franchise, chain stores, monopolize, go
bankruptcy, demand, multinational corporation,
compete, wholesale price, financial burden,
e-commerce, capability, expansion, conglomeration,
reputation

Use passive voice

Organization
1. Introduction (background info.)
2. Describe the trend and provide 2 reasons to explain
the trend
3. Transitional paragraph (sum up the trend + pick a side
-> will or will not survive)
4. 3 paragraphs discussing whether small independent
stationery stores can survive (2 para for your stance +
1 para for opposite stance)
5. Conclusion (bring out a positive hope)