HKDSE English Module 4: Mass media Paper 2 Writing — Editorials What sets an editorial apart from other formal text types e.g. a letter to the editor or an essay? 1. Aneditorial is written by the editor in chief of a newspaper. 2. An editorial tends to employ more formal wordings and sentence patterns. 3. An editorial usually discusses an issue as a whole instead of giving an opinion / offering a stance. 4, An editorial tends to rely on statistics / researches / pertinent examples from overseas as forms of elaboration. Choose the best option to fill in the blanks in the attached articles. Article 1 — Hong Kong needs a strategy quickly for dealing with wastd 1. A. serious B. devastating C. huge 2. A. cutdown B. reduce C. decrease 3. A. solutions B. methods C. measures 4, A. implementing —_B. carrying out C. adopting 5. A. gettingridof BB. doing away with _C. eliminating 6. A. creating B. generating C. boost 7. A. disposing of B. throwing away C. dumping 8. A. sucessful B. a success C. bearing fruit 1. A.runner B. citizen C. competitor 2. A-overshadowed B. darkened C. east a shadow over 3. A. good words B. praises C. compliments 4, A. to be taken lightly B. an easy sport C. apiece of cake 5. A. We do not know if the 52-year-old took this advice; B. Whether the 52-year-old woman followed this advice is not known; . It remains uncertain whether the 52-year-old followed this advice; A. To everyone’s surprise B. Surprisedly C. Surprisingly A. amateurs B. freshmen C. newbies[Article 3 - Archaic taxi services need overhaul 1. A. justified B. good C. reasonable 2. A.we can now book taxis B. taxis can now be booked _C. taxi service is available 3. A. below-par standard B. at not up to standard. at below the standard 4. A. worries B. frustration C. problems 5. A. unfamiliarity B, drivers C. not being familiar with places 6. A.No wonder B. Itis litle wonder that _C. There is little wonder that 7: B. customers want C. they are told 8. A. conditions B, grounds C. circumstances [Article 1 Hong Kong needs a strategy quickly for dealing with waste PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 27 September, 2016, 1:11am UPDATED : Tuesday, 27 September, 2016, 1:14am Comment » insight & Opinion » LEADER SCMP Editorial Although the plastic bag levy has been a success, itis time fo move on to another stage of being less wasteful The throwaway society is about convenience, butithasa. (Q _impacton the environment, For Hong Kong, with fastiling landfills and limited space, ithas an even graver impact. France and Sweden have recently taken steps to. ® their footprints, the former becoming the first nation in the world to ban plastic cups, plates and cutlery, and the latter culting taxes to encourage repair of electrical appliances. Theyare (tour government should also look into; =@ . France has been late to the party when itcomes to (F) _| plastic bags, taking tentative steps only in July, seven years after Hong Kong. it moves ahead with disposable eating and drinking utensils, though, with a law taking effect in 2020 that bans all but items made of biodegradable plastics. Itis a sweeping decision for any government to make, particularly for one navigating high unemployment rates and a nearly stagnant economy. Itis a necessary move, though, if green goals and waste disposal targets are to be met. Hong Kona’s plastic waste epidemic, and why it's bad news for all of us [1] ‘Sweden's lawmakers are also targeting wastefulness with measures aimed at ensuring sustainable consumption. Thev want citizens to think twice about © tems, easing the load on landfills and: () _ employment in the process. In the 2017 budget, value-added taxwill be reduced from 25 to 12 per cent for minor repairs to items like bicycles and shoes and there will be tax refunds for people who choose to fix white goods like refrigerators and washing machines. The plans are expected to create jobs for Swedes who are poorly educated. Recycling remains rudimentary in Hong Kong and it is more common to replace an electrical item than to have it repaired. The plastic bag levy scheme has been and itis time to move on to another stage of being less wasteful with plastics. The hundreds ot years they take to decompose and the environmental and health risks they pose make quickly coming up with a strategy a necessity, The moves made by France and Sweden offer inspiration.Distance running, without training, is asking for trouble PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 15 February, 2017, 4:03am UPDATED : Wednesday, 15 February, 2017, 4:03am Comment > Insight & Opinion » LEADER SCMP Editorial Death of 10km competitor in Sunday's Hong Kong marathon is a reminder that preparedness is crucial in an otherwise safe sport ‘The thousands-strong contingent of overseas runners taking part in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon [1] showed how successful the event and its associated races have become. The Ethiopian winners were fullof praise [2] for the race, the organisers and our city, it thas taken its rightful place on the international running circuit. But the death of a female + © “who took part in the 10km event has the record-breaking times and the +, highlighting a litte- mentioned aspect of the sport. For all the excitement, challeng®, fun and rewards, there are also risks. Female runner, 52, dies after running 10km event in Hong Kong marathon [3] Distance running is not ® _,a8 the organisers point out when competitors sign up for the races. A handbook and internet information hiabliaht the need for intensive training and private health checks. © jan investigation into the cause of her death may make matters clearer. But a Baptist University study in 2014 found that one-third of runners in that year’s 10km event did not do a single day of training in the 12 months leading up to race day. © the number of people whose health is affected by the distance and sometimes high humidity and air pollution is low. Four people have died since the first marathon in 1997 and only one in the marathon itself; the others were in the shorter races, That is perhaps telling: only well- prepared runners would consider the 42km event, while @ perhaps not realising the training needed for running even 10km, are more likely to be aifractad to the shorter distances. With US research of nearly 11 million marathon and half-marathon runners between 2000 and 2010 showing that just one in 259,000 died, fatalities are rare. Of the 42 victims, most had underiying heart conditions. Health risks are not for organisers to find out, noris their role to ensure participants do adequate training. The thril, contribution to charity, the drive for fitness and even prize money are good reasons to participate. But equally important is preparedness.[Article Archaic taxi services need overhaul PUBLISHED : Friday, 10 February, 2017, 12:53am UPDATED : Friday, 10 February, 2017, 12:53am Comment > Insight & Opinion » LEADER SCMP Editorial The authorities and the industry need to rethink how best to serve customers in an age when people can hail a comfortable and convenient ride using apps Taxi fares are going up and as usual when such announcements are made about public transport, there is a negative reaction among some people, The new taxi fares that come into effect on April 8 willift the cost per trip by about 9 per cent, a not unreasonable proposition given the boosts in income and inflation. But whether, {) _ornot, there will always be expeciations of better service whenever charges are raised. Competition and technology require that rides should be ever-more convenient, comforiable and cost-effective. “The tani industry has not adequately responded to Uber and similar app-based car-halling services. While a scheme to improve drivers’ skills and knowledge has been implemented and : through apps and have Wi-fi, the vast majority of vehicles operate n . Worse, a number stil pick and choose customers, refusing trips despite laws against such a practice. It does not help that Hong Kong is spiitinto three fare zones that discourage drivers from taking passengers from one to another. Hong Kong taxi fares set to rise after HK$2 increase in flag fall approved [1] This can mean that a passenger traveling from the New Territories to Hong Kong Island may have to use three taxis. also causes’ (t) _ , particularly at peak times, with Kowloon and Hong Kong drivers often refusing to operate in one another's zones. GPS should negate this from happening, yet the excuse of) is still commonplace. Too many vehicles are also dirty and poorly maintained and helmed by drivers who are sullen or impolite. © ‘Uber and its like, despite operating illegally due to the government not offering licences, are 0 favoured by some travellers; they can be booked by app for a particular time ata known fare and will go wherever: (1) . Slowly, the licensed operaters are meeting the challenge, but too many are still clinging fo an outdated mindset. Competitions good and necessary and the government has to open up the industry. But in doing so, as much as franchise holders and operators, it has to review and rethink to meetthe changed: @ :Notice the difference by reading the following letters to the editor. Tax incentives can help to reduce waste I refer to your editorial (HK must deal with waste in haste’, September 27). tn Hong Kong, we should take note of the policies introduced in France and Sweden inan effort to cut volumes of waste as we try o reduce the quantities of waste generated in the city. IF we cut back on our use of plastic cups, plates and cutlery (which will be banned in France), this could ease the pressure on landiils, which are nearing capacity. Fast-food restaurants use a lot of disposable tableware, We can also leam from Swecien, which offers tax incentives to encourage people to get electrical appliances repaired rather than throw them away. This will lower maintenance and repair costs, which can often be higher than the original price of the product. | can imagine there would be stiff resistance from some firms to a version of the French law in Hong Kong. ff plastic utensils were banned, their manufacturers would have to lay off workers as profits dropped. The restaurant sector would oppose it, arguing that operating costs would go up. Most fast-food chains use disposable tableware, which is more convenient and economical as they don't have to hire as many dishwashers. I think looking at making tax changes would be feasible as a way of encouraging people to get electrical appliances repaired, especialy ifit meant that getting your fidge fixed was going to be a lot cheaper than buying a new model. lf these appliances have a longer lifespan, fewer will end up in our landfills, Queens Fung Ka-man, Sham Shui Po France's plastic ban will not work in HK Plastic waste is having a grave impact on our fast-filing landfills, However, the new policy of the French goverment that you refer to in your editorial (‘HK must deal with waste in haste’, September 27) would be difficult to implement in Hong Kong. We live ina fast-paced city where time is money and eateries like fastfood restaurants do not hhave time to wash utensils, which is why they provide the disposable variety. As a result, we waste a lot of plastic. Restaurants would certainly oppose a law similar to the one passed in France, which will lead to a ban on plastic plates and utensils (from 2020) as they will have to hire more dishwashers. Manufacturers of these plastic products will also be against such legislation, arguing that theywould have make employees redundant with their reduced output. However, I think the tax changes in Sweden would be feasible here. Citizens could get tax refunds if they got white goods like reftigerators and washing machines repaired instead of throwing them out. think there would be a lower level of resistance from different stakeholders to sucha move. Lee Ching-man, Sheung Shui Students are under too much pressure Irefer to the article, "For young Hongkongers batiling mental health issues, support exists but hurdles remain" (September 16). ‘The number of students who commit suicide increased in the last school year. ‘Students nowadays face a lot of pressure, especially senior students who have fo study for the iploma of Secondary Education exam. They can often face pressure not ust from the school, but also from parents who want them to get an undergraduate place at a university. Some teens may also be stressed if they are victims of bullying, but Ithink in most cases, students took their own life because of academic pressure. Many are reluctant to share their concerns with anyone else. They bottle up these worries and as ‘a consequence they get worse and their negative thoughts intensify. Often, they will not want to bother their parents because they are so busy. And some parents might not notice the signs that their children are seriously distressed. No matter how busy they are, parents need to try and find the time to talk to their children and always make it clear that they will support them. And they should let them develop at their own pace rather than constantly pressing them to do well in school. ‘Schools shouid also be trying to reduce the pressure and provide a happier and more relaxed environment for their pupils. Ifthis was done across the board in schools in Hong Kong, Ithink the suicide rate would drop, Alice Chin Wing-sze, Kal Chung Why green belt sites are so important ‘The current debate about the government building 4,000 flats on green belt land in Wang Chau has been heated, with much of the focus on the problems surrounding town planning in Hong Kong. Itraises questions about how much development should be allowed in rural districts, I think when determining how far one should go in developing rural areas, there should be limits. Abalance needs to be struck between building infrastructure and protecting the environment. Green belts are very important to Hong Kong. They are not just barriers between buill-up urban districts and quieter areas such as suburbs, they also provide sites where people can relax and enjoy their free time in a rural setting.When a green beltis used as a site to build homes, it is gone forever. No artificial site, no matter what facilities it provides, can replace a natural green belt. Indeed, if the government decides flats have to be built in Wang Chau, why not use brownfield sites? They are far less valuable than green belts and their development would have a minimal impact on the environment. Ihope the government will recognise the need to do a better job at protecting the environment. Lelouch Lin, Sheung Shul Against having more homeless shelters in city Irefer to the letter by Tweety Sung (‘Provide more shelters for street sleepers", September 22). Ido not agree with your correspondent that the government has to ensure there are enough shelters for homeless people in Hong Kong. Providing them with more shelters means that they will come to rely too much on the government. Street sleepers can instead do something for society, such as looking for a job, not ust - depending on government welfare. Short-term measures like additional shelters are not sufficient. What is needed is for the government to deal withthe city’s housing crisis, by getting to the root of the problem, which is a shortage of affordable homes. Kaylie Lai, Kvai Chung Teens showed they really care about society Ithas been two years since the Occupy Central movement was launched. tts supporters were responding to Beijing's decision on how the chief executive candidates ‘would be chosen for the 2017 election. Hongkongers had hoped that the chief executive would be elected by genuine universal suffrage. Many of the Occupy Central activists were teenagers and |think a lot of older citizens changed their views about the next generation after seeing the attitude of these youngsters. In the past, young people born in the 1980s and 1990s had been accused of being selfish, but now they were showing that they cared about the future of Hong Kong. Ithink the campaign was justified and | regret not joining the protesters on the streets. We are the future leaders of society and have an obligation to struggle for a better and more democratic Hong Kong. I think Hongkongers can be justly proud of this memorable period. Katie Lee Hoi-kei, Kouloon TongHere is a list of some of the most characteristic features that differentiate formal and informal English. Formal Informal eee een een = Words of Anglo-Saxon origin residence home + Single-word verbs * Phrasal verbs, idioms with get toarise 10 get up to mount /o board : to geton : * Formal Connecting words = Informal connecting words In addition, furthermore And However, on the other hand, But Therefore, consequently So _ + Impersonal constructions * Active constructions itis said that They say that the price has been increased they've put the price up ‘one never knows you never know itcan be argued ‘you can argue Abstract nouns Is happiness possible during unemployment? After clarification of the problem areas. Modal verbs, adjectives, clauses ete Can people be happy when they haven t got a job? When the bits everyone was getting wrong had been explained... Not ending with prepositions; use of whom To whom were you speaking? Complex sentences The student, who was late for elas, sprinted ‘across the ground. Ending with prepositions Who were you speaking to? Simple sentences The student was late for class. He sprinted across the ground. Use of inversions for conditionals and emphasis Should you require further information, please contact .. Inversion sometimes used for emphasis Only then did I realise ns in writing Twill, we would No contrat Contractions is writing Til, we'dFill in the blanks © nnesca 7 Formal Informal Formal Informal Verbs Nouns to depart to go deficiency to retain vision = to cease residence to function respiration to demonstrate | | comprehension | to reside | ae tosem Adjectives to shorten incorrect wrong toend amiable tohelp | ‘| vacant _ to begin insane ie to want inexpensive to get lively to free better E to eat childish enough Adverbials whole subsequently _ | next/later older principally so at first in the endRewriting practice 3 The information below is given as it spoken informally. Rewrite each item as it would appear formally in the notice, form, printed regulations etc. indicated in brackets. Suggested beginnings are given for the first few items, E.g. You've got to understand that we accept students only if they've got (a) tb) © (d) permission to study from the Home Office. (college regulations) Students should be aware that they will be admitted to the college strictly on condition that they have obtained leave to study from the Home Office If you want to complain, you must write a letter to the tour operator. (travel conditions) Any complaints should be ... If you buy anything during the sale, we won't give you your money back if you later decide you don't want it (shop notice) We regret that no refunds f, by chance, *here’s a fire, don’t panic. Just leave quietly. The exits are marked on the pian at the bottom of the notice. (notice in public hall) In the event of .. You should go to, or phone, your embassy if you have any problems, (advice for travellers) Travellers are advised .. Please don’t smoke. (notice in cinema) Patrons are .. It's cheaper if you get a Certificate of Posting when you actually post your letter (the counter clerk will fill it in). You can get one later but it’s more expensive (Post Office regulations} These arrangements may have to be changed, particularly if the weather's bad (travel conditions) Please keep this receipt You may have to show it later on. (official receipt) The firm can’t promise to send the goods you order until you send them the whole price.tousiness letter) If you want a Certificate of Attendance, you'll have to show your Admission Slip. It's not absolutely necessary for you to have a teacher's note saying you come regularly, but it'll make things a lot easier (college rules)Presenting arguments and commenting on others’ work rgue in favour of it: He advocated capital punishment arefully about the known erfect tense is uscd. | If you advocate something, you If you deduce something, you reach a conclusion by think facts: Look at these sentences and see if you can deduce how the If you infer something, you reach a conclusion indirectly: From contemporary of his research, we can infer that results were slower to come than he had anticipated. | If someone's work complements someone else's, it combines well with it so that cach pies ‘of work becomes more effective, i If someone's work overlaps with someone else’s work, it partially covers the same materi You might call someone's work: empirical {based on what is observed rather than theory] ambiguous (open to different interpretations] coherent [logically structured] | comprehensive [covering all that is relevant] authoritative [thorough and expert] Talking about figures and processes If figures or decisions are referred to as arbitrary, they are based on chance rather than a plan or any particular reason. Figures that deviate from the norm are different from what is typical. If statistics distort the picture, they give a false impression. If you refer to the incidence of something (e.g. left-handedness), you are talking about how often it occurs in the population. If something (e.g. the incidence of brown eyes) is predominant, it is the largest in number If things (e.g. stages in a process) happen in sequence, they happen in a particular order If you want to say that something happens in many places or with many people, you can say that itis widespread: widespread outbreaks of an illness, widespread alarm | Words used instead of more everyday words in an academic context cctv] era vt caine [warren cepend nad Greed) econ a | — hak Fm went contradict go against likewise similarly | eS = onwtnanding | dese dis denensvate | show ine far 4 dees teal denier | [oan wis way Tr rae ues wipe oot | [whereby Dy hich (tio) pereehe . reside Ne, live | wer ioe wae = nl82.1 82.2 82.3 82.4 82.5 Exercises Which of the five verbs in A best fits in each sentence? 1 Although my brother and I are researching in similar areas, our work, fortunately, does not ooo» Ithas, however, often been said that what 1 do his work very well. 2 Look at the complete set of graphs and see if you can the rules governing the data from them. 3. This article . _..... a somewhat different approach to the problem than that whieh has been put forward by others in the field. 4 A great deal can be about the artist's state of mind from the content and style of his later works. Which of the five adjectives in A best describes each of these things? 1 a textbook written by the most highly regarded expert in the field 2 research based on a survey of the population 3 a poem which can be understood in two quite different ways 4 an argument which is well-expressed and easy to follow $a textbook which gives a broad overview of an entire discipline Answer these questions which use vocabulary from B. 1 If the incidence of asthma in children is increasing, what is actually going up: a) the seriousness of asthma attacks b) the number of asthmatic children What are the next two numbers in the sequence 1, 4, 9% 16, 25, 36? If the average mark of schoolchildren in a maths test was 68% and James's mark deviated most markedly from that average, what do we know about James's mark? Ifa historian distorts the facts, does he present them a) accurately _b) clearly ¢) ina misleading fashion? 5. Ifa sociologist chooses the subjects of her research in an arbitrary fashion, is she being, careful to get people from an appropriate balance of backgrounds? Use vocabulary from C to rewrite these sentences in a more formal academic style, 1 We believe the information lies in archives that must not be opened until 2050. 2. He thought up his theory while still a young man. 3. Fach of the signs in the phonetic alphabet stands for a sound rather than a letter. 4 This study went against what was previously held to be true and so started a great deal of discussion amongst specialists in the field. 5. Details of the experiment have been added at the end of the report for those who wish to see how we arrived at our data. 1g words from C, to make it sound more academic. jes served the very Rewrite this paragraph xe study was initially thought up in order out Hill's, as symbols 10 Tis Sae's pow method erasiy by Important wich Were infermaon sould be aac sand for ce ay wait eae Our werk pes_agamot the cling further esarch. We hope at Hl Petes OOO inked weal! apear wl smilary ng cr werk to be valid and gee the appoae of what he Gained’ We tht when inrationalrexcrcher met next nema tea pesning a rather diferent Apri they wl contr tha och of value Hes Sere eee en ich cause in bik ur and H's nie, Our res ae Uses Desi tour work dose wipe added athe ndHi a Explaining, reinforcing, exemplifying Look at these newspaper snippets and note the contexts in whi the words in bold oceut ‘The Prime Minister reiterated! his ‘The recent events underscore! the concer that the debate should not need for a better understanding of be dominated by personal attacks. the environmental impact of He also asked .. biotechnology. If this phase in the .. Several historians have posited? a) connection between the decline of the Roman Empire and the eruption of a far distant voleano ... Mr Burns’ comments epitomise? the attitude of many parents nowadays. He seems to be in the It was a philosophy first In an attempt to account for® the expounded? by John Ruskin lack of interest, political analysts in the nineteenth century. if have looked at past voting human, patterns. On the basis of . ' repeated, restated + emphasise 2 are a perfect example of, 5 suggested as a basic factéprinciple 7 developed, proposed © explain, find the cause of Categorising and including Japanese visitors comprised/made up 70% of the hotel’s guests last year, [70% consisted of ‘The course is comprised of two elements: reading and writing. [is composed of] “These two approaches can be subsumed under one heading. [brought together / united] The book embraces a number of issues, from economic to religious ones. [eovers/inclus] Her philosophy is difficult to categorise. [label as belonging to a particular type or class] Structuring the text Some words and expressions for ordering and arranging the parts of an essay function in the text | example oar shoul ke praface Pics] ny argent Win Was Rony mapping out the text | | shall return to this point later in my essay. a enmesing pens | This rings mals omy now aes of diction nih 5 Tans Teeusng [shold now thew rest the quetn fhe ame ordering points | The args are preset m acondng descending ordav ol yS/GIGS | eshereerna |The a eral wer wile ded maiporl seine] The text alludes €0 several themes that need closer examination, includinglexcluding] Discussion ofthe roots of the problem ls beyond the scope of cis ext.) ‘material leis impossible to deal with ll the issues in this shore essay, There wil ony be sF2e0 to touch upon the big question of politcal responsi drawing conchisions | We are forced to conclude that unemployment wil always be wich wz83.1 Look at these extracts from essays and use words from A opposite to improve their style, making the underlined words more formal. 1 The response from the public really shows us the importance of having a full investigation of the facts. 2 This view of the world was originally laid out by the Ancient Greek philosophers. 3 Iris not easy to find the reason for the fall in population of these birds. 4 Economists have said there might be a link between exchange rates and a general lack of confidence in the European Union, $ I should like to say again here that the issue is not one that can be easily resolved. 6 The recent events are the best example of the dilemma faced by politicians the world 83.2 Rewrite these sentences using the verb in brackets and making any other necessary changes. 1 70% of the landmass is mountain ranges. (COMPRISE) 2 A wide variety of subjects are dealt with in the hook. (EMmRACE) 3 I think these thrce sections can all come under one heading. (SUSUME) 4 Poems are not easily amenable co being put into different types. (CATEGORISE) 83.3 Complete the table with the noun forms of these verbs. Use a dictionary if necessary. Bie ios categorise preface allude t9 eplcomise 83.4 Fill the gaps with words from C that express the meaning in brackets. 1 Ishall to this issue later in this essay. (come back to) 2 The question of monetary union... us to our next topic: the idea of a federal Europe. (means we've arrived at) 3 Smith just upon the subject of Internet policing but does not xo into it in depth, (mentions only briefly) 4 T shall attempr to -nosonm the problem of censorship later in this discussion, (attend to, consider) 5 Psychological factors in learning foreign languages are - this essay. (outside of the topic area) 6 I shall discuss the poets i. order, that is to say I shall comment on the least important ones first. 7 Inthe final analysis, we are thar there is litle hope of stamping out illegal drugs altogether. (have no choice but to believe) 8 This unit has attempted to a range of useful vocabulary for formal writing, (give all the necessary information about)Homework (Long task — 400 words) As the chief editor of the school newspaper, write an editorial on one of the current issues mentioned in the news articles attached. 1516