List of Structural Elements in a Notice

Theme: Hiking

Genre: Notice

A notice gives concise informationabout an event, an activity, a trip, general instructions, regulations or news.

Details of Writing Task

Rubrics: The Student Association is going to organise a hiking trip for the students of the whole school. You are the secretary of the Student Association of your school and you are asked to draft a notice about the hiking trip.

Pre-writing Activities

1.Structure of a Notice

1A: In a notice about a hiking trip, the details of the hike (see the list of structural elements in a notice) should be included. Below is a model notice of a Sai Kung Cruise showing all the essential elementsof the structure. Fill in the blank boxes with the structural elements provided in the list below. A few are done for you.

List of structural elements in a notice:

Date and time
Any food or drink included? e.g. Lunch
Pick-up point

Name of organiser
Registration
Final call
Photo

Name of event
Cost
Point (s) of attraction

(To be downloaded by teachers)

Structural elements / The Notice / Structural elements
/ The Student Association
Invites you to join us for the
Sai Kung Cruise
On Sunday November 10, 2009
Starting at 9: 00 a.m. and ending at 4: 00 p.m.
Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters and explore sea caves and scenic coastlines
Pick-up point at the Sai Kung Pier
Seafood lunch included
Cost: $ 100 per person
Please go to the general office of the Student Association for registration at lunch time or after school on or before 22 October, 2009.
Hurry! Limited Places /

2. Language Features

2A:When we write a notice, we have to pay attention to some typical languagefeatures. Fill in the blanks to find out what they are.

When writing a notice, we usually use the ______tense.

For example: The Student Association invites you to join us for the Sai Kung Cruise.

When we refer to the date and time of the hiking trip, we use suitable ______. For example: at 9:00 a.m.; on Sunday; in October

We can use ______(i.e. the base form of the verbs)to refer to the point(s) of attraction of the hiking trip, For example:Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters andexplore sea caves and sceniccoastlines

2B: Fill in the blanks with the simple present tense using the verbsprovided in the box below.

be donate enjoy go know offer organize rise run take

The hike ______you across forests and streams.
Our school ______a summer camp for us every year.
The fee for the swimming course ______three hundred dollars per month.
She ______walking her dog every evening.
He ______money to charitable organisations from time to time.
Everyone in Hong Kong ______about the athlete Lee Lai-Shan.
The open air restaurants in Cheung Chau ______wonderful seafood.
My parents ______hiking every weekend.
The train usually ______at a 5-minute interval.
The sun ______at dawn.

2C: Fill in the blanks with ‘in’, ‘at’or‘on’

The train will leave ______4 p.m.
I will wait for you ______the train station.
Let’s go hiking ______autumn.
She entered the university ______2003.
The next conference will be held ______30th December.
We will go to OceanPark______Saturday Morning.
The tour starts early ______the morning every day.
They spent their last summer holiday ______the seaside.
There are many trees ______the park.
My sister gets up ______half past six every morning.

2D: How to writeabout the point(s) of attraction?

Point(s) of attraction is / are some attractive activities that people may carry out during an event or a trip. When writing a notice about an event or a trip, it is a good idea to write a couple of points of attraction to let people know what they will mainly be doing during the trip.

For example, in the model sample of the notice, the points of attraction are:

Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters

Explore sea caves and scenic coastlines

2D (i):Fill in the blanks with imperatives using theverbsprovided in the box below.

be catch enjoy keep post put sign turn wash write

______this notice on the board.
______the spectacular view of the ClearWaterBayPeninsula from the ridge.
______an eye on your belongings.
______down the names of the dinosaurs during your visit to the ScienceMuseum.
______your hands before meals.
______all your belongings in the locker before going out to the pool.
______up for the hike before 16th November.
______off the light before you leave the classroom.
______me if you can.
______polite to your teachers.

2D (ii):Identifying and writingabout point (s) of attraction

Read the information about some trails in Hong Kong below. Imagine you are going to write a notice about the hiking trip for each trail. Identify and note the point(s) of attraction to be included in the notice. The first one has been done for you.



Tour Name: Pat Sin Leng Nature Trail

Route: Tai Mei Tuk Management Centre, Pak Sin Leng Trail, Bride’s Pool

Pick-up Point: MTR station, Tai Po

Duration: 2.5 hours

Description: During the walk along Pak Sin Leng Trail, you can enjoy the spectacular view of Plover Cove Reservoir. You can also see many rock features and fields beyond the blue stream.

Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice: Explore Plover Cove Reservoir and see the rock features



Tour Name: Lamma Island Hike

Route: Aberdeen, Lamma Island, Tin Hau Temple, Sok Kwu Wan, Yung Shue Wan Pick-up Points: MTR station, Central

Duration: 5 hours

Description: This is a scenic hike on a peaceful traffic-free island with 6,000 years of fishing history. You will pass through beautiful feng shui woods, World War II Kamikaze tunnels, the delightful Lo So Shing Bay, and the bustling village of Yung Shue Wan.

Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice:



Tour Name: Wong Shek Walk

Route:Wong Shek Pier, Coastal line of Long Hill and Ko Tong Hau

Pick-up Point:The Bus Terminal, Sai Kung

Duration: 2 hours

Description: From the Wong Shek Pier in Sai Kung, you can walk up the steps and enjoy the fantastic coastal scenery of Long Hill and Ko Tong Hau. The scenic view oftheharbourandgrasslandmake you feelat one withnature

Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice:

______



Tour Name: Po Lin Monastery Outing

Route: Tung Ching Fort, Po Lin Monestery, Big Budda, Tong Fuk, Cheung Sha

Pick-up Point: Tung Chung MTR Station

Duration: 7 hours

Description:

This 16-km hike enables you to discover the peaceful Lantau Island. This hike is strenuous, but worth the effort. It will surely make you breathless.

Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice:

______



Tour Name: Deserted Beaches Hike (Sai Kung East Country Park)

Route: Sai Kung East Country Park, old Hakka villages.

Departure Time: 10:00 a.m.

Pick-up Points: MTR station, Choi Hung

Duration: 5 hours

Description: This walk offers you a unique insight into the houses, lands and beaches that the old Hakka villages left behind. You can explore the life of Hakka farmers and enjoy your time while you are away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice:

______



Tour Name: Pok Fu Lam Country Park Trail

Route: The Peak, Pok Fu Lam Country Park, Aberdeen.

Pick-up Point: MTR station, Central

Duration: 4.5 hours

Description: This scenic walk enables you to enjoy the contrasts of skyscrapers in the spectacular and vibrant business district and the tranquil countryside.

Point(s) of Attraction to be included in the notice: ______

Writing Task

The Student Association is going to organise a hiking trip for Form 1 students. Select one of the trails described in Task 2D (ii)above and write a notice about the hiking trip. Plan your writing before you start. The writing tips below can provide some help.

Name of the organiser:

Name of the trail:

Date of the hike:

Time of the hike:

Point (s) of attraction:

Pick-up point:

Lunch arrangement:

Cost:

How to register:

An attractive final call:

Post-writing Evaluation

 Evaluation Form 

Content and Structure

Excellent
 / Pretty
Good
 / Average
 / Needs Improvement

1. An eye-catching photo is provided.
1. The name of the organiser is included.
2. The name of the trail is provided.
3. Important details about the hiking trip (such as date, time, point (s) of attraction, pick-up point, lunch arrangement and cost) are provided.
4. Further information such as how to register for the trip is included.
5. There is an attractive final call.

Language Use

Excellent
 / Pretty
Good
 / Average
 / Needs Improvement


The simple present tense is used correctly.

Imperatives are used correctly.

Prepositions of time and place are used correctly.

Grammar is mostly correct.

Words are of a wide range and generally accurate and appropriate.

Punctuation and spelling are correct.

Genre

Excellent
 / Pretty
Good
 / Average
 / Needs Improvement

The general tone and style of the notice show that the writer is aware of the purpose, context and audience of the genre.

Suggested Answers

1A: Fill in the blanks with the words or phrases provided below.

Structural elements / The Notice / Structural elements
/ The Student Association
Invites you to join us for the
Sai Kung Cruise
On Sunday November 10, 2009
Starting at 9: 00 a.m. and ending at 4: 00 p.m.
Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters and explore sea caves and scenic coastlines
Pick-up point at the Sai Kung Pier
Seafood lunch included
Cost: $ 100 per person
Please go to the general office of the Student Association for registration at lunch time or after school on or before 22 October, 2009.
Hurry! Limited Places /

2A:When we write a notice, we have to pay attention to some typical languagefeatures. Fill in the blanks to find out what they are.

When writing a notice, we usually use thesimple presenttense. For example:

The Student Association invites you to join us for the Sai Kung Cruise.

When we refer to the date and time of the hiking trip, we use suitable prepositions. For example, at 9:00 a.m.; on Sunday; in October.

We can useimperatives(i.e. the base form of the verbs) to refer to the point(s) of attraction of the hiking trip, For example:Sail in the sheltered peaceful waters andexplore sea caves andsceniccoastlines

2B:Fill in the blanks with the simple present tense using the verbsprovided in the box below.

be donate enjoy go know offer organize rise run take

The hike takes you across forests and streams.
Our school organises a summer camp for us every year.
The fee for the swimming course isthree hundred dollars per month.
She enjoys walking her dog every evening.
He donates money to charitable organizations from time to time.
Everyone in Hong Kongknows about the athlete Lee Lai-Shan.
The open air restaurants in Cheung Chau offer wonderful seafood.
My parents go hiking every weekend.
The train usually runs at a 5-minute interval.
The sun rises at dawn.

2C: Fill in the blanks with ‘in’, ‘at’or‘on’

The train will leave at 4 p.m.
I will wait for you at the train station.
Let’s go hiking in autumn.
She entered the university in 2003.
The next conference will be held on 30th December.
We will go to OceanParkon Saturday Morning.
The tour starts earlyin the morning every day.
They spent their last summer holiday at the seaside.
There are many trees in the park.
My sister gets up at half past six every morning.

2D (i):Fill in the blanks with imperatives using the verbs provided in the box below.

be catch enjoy keep post put sign turn wash write

Post this notice on the board.
Enjoy the spectacular view of the Clear Water Bay Peninsula from the ridge.
Keep an eye on your belongings.
Write down the names of the dinosaurs during your visit to the Science Museum.
Wash your hands before meals.
Put all your belongings in the locker before going out to the pool.
Sign up for the hike before 16th November.
Turn off the light before you leave the classroom.
Catch me if you can.
Be polite to your teachers.

2D (ii): Identifying and writing about point (s) of attraction.



Tour Name: Pat Sin Leng Nature Trail

Route: Tai Mei Tuk Management Centre, Pak Sin Leng Trail, Bride’s Pool

Pick-up Point: MTR station, Tai Po

Duration: 2.5 hours

Description: During the walk along Pak Sin Leng Trail, you can enjoy the spectacular view of Plover Cove Reservoir. You can also see many rock features and fields beyond the blue stream.

Point of Attraction to be included in the notice:Explore Plover Cove Reservoir and see the rock features



Tour Name: Lamma Island Hike

Route: Aberdeen, Lamma Island, Tin Hau Temple, Sok Kwu Wan, Yung Shue Wan Pick-up Points: MTR station, Central

Duration: 5 hours

Point of Attractionto be included in the notice: Learn fishing history; Explore feng shui wood and visit Yung Shue Wan



Tour Name: Wong Shek Walk

Route:Wong Shek Pier, Coastal line of Long Hill and Ko Tong Hau

Pick-up Point:The Bus Terminal, Sai Kung

Duration: 2 hours

Point of Attractionto be included in the notice: Walk along the coastal line of Long Hill and enjoy the coastal scenery



Tour Name: Po Lin Monastery Outing

Route: Tung Ching Fort, Po Lin Monestery, Big Budda, Tong Fuk, Cheung Sha

Pick-up Point: Tung Chung MTR Station

Duration: 7 hours

Description:

This 16-km hike enables you to discover the peaceful Lantau Island. This hike is strenuous, but worth the effort. It will surely make you breathless.

Point of Attractionto be included in the notice: Take a few snapshots of the grand budda and temple



Tour Name: Deserted Beaches Hike (Sai Kung East Country Park)

Route: Sai Kung East Country Park, old Hakka villages.

Departure Time: 10:00 a.m.

Pick-up Points: MTR station, Choi Hung

Duration: 5 hours

Point of Attractionto be included in the notice: Explore the old Hakka villages and meet the Hakka farmers



Tour Name: Pok Fu Lam Country Park Trail

Route: The Peak, Pok Fu Lam Country Park, Aberdeen.

Pick-up Point: MTR station, Central

Duration: 4.5 hours

Description: This scenic walk enables you to enjoy the contrasts of skyscrapers in the spectacular and vibrant business district and the tranquil countryside.

Point of Attractionto be included in the notice: Explore the tranquil countryside and enjoy the view of skyscrapers at the Peak