HKCEE 2003’ English Paper I ~Writing -- Exam Analysis ~
Question 11.The editor of a local newspaper, Student Post, has invited readers to answer the question: ‘Do you think your parents really understand you?’ Write a letter to the editor describing your feelings as a teenager about the attitudes of parents towards young people. You should discuss at least two of the following:
staying out late with friends
what teenagers spend their money on
being told to do the housework
spending a long time on the computer
keeping up with the latest fashions
Sign your letter C. Wong. Do NOT write an address.
When stating whether parents understand you or not for each situation, provide example(s) to support your feelings.
Do not choose to write about too many situations.
Do not write about more than one situation in one paragraph.
Analysis for HKCEE 2003 Paper 1: Question 1
Type: / Discursive and Descriptive
Language: / Formal
Format: / Letter
Question requirement: / The main focus of this question is whether you feel parents understand you as a teenager by writing about their attitude towards you on at least two of the situations given in the list. Then for each situation, you should talk about whether they understand you when it comes to this issue.
Introduction / Opening:Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to your question…
Restate the question:Do you think your parents really understand you?
State two situations:Depends on chosen situation.
Controlling idea:Look at the reasons why and why not your parents understand you.
Situation 1: / Staying out late with friends.
What: / Introduce situation with clear example(s).
Feelings (positive): / Explain with examples how they let you stay out late on certain occasions.
Feelings (negative): / Explain with examples how they usually do not let you stay out late with friends.
Answer question: / State overall feeling whether you do or do not feel that parents understand you when it comes to staying out late with friends.
Situation 2: / What teenagers spend their money on
What: / Introduce situation with clear example(s).
Feelings (positive): / Explain with examples how your parents understand what you spend your money on.
Feelings (negative): / Explain with examples how your parents usually do not understand what you spend your money on.
Answer question: / State overall feeling whether you do or do not feel that parents understand you when it comes to spending your money.
Situation 3: / Being told to do the housework
What: / Introduce situation with clear example(s).
Feelings (positive): / Explain with examples how they sometimes understand how you feel when they tell you to do housework.
Feelings (negative): / Explain with examples how they usually do not understand how you feel when they tell you to do housework.
Answer question: / State overall feeling whether you do or do not feel that parents understand how you feel when they tell you to do housework.
Situation 4: / Spending a long time on the computer
What: / Introduce situation with clear example(s).
Feelings (positive): / Explain with examples how they sometimes seem to understand why and when you spend a long time on the computer.
Feelings (negative): / Explain with examples how they usually do not understand why and when you spend a long time on the computer.
Answer question: / State overall feeling whether you do or do not feel that parents understand you when you spend a long time on the computer.
Situation 5: / Keeping up with the latest fashions
What: / Introduce situation with clear example(s).
Feelings (positive): / Explain with examples how they sometimes understand how and why you keep up with the latest fashion.
Feelings (negative): / Explain with examples how they usually do not understand how and why you keep up with the latest fashion.
Answer question: / State overall feeling whether you do or do not feel that parents understand you when it comes to keeping up with the latest fashion.
Conclusion: / Restate the question:Do your parents understand you?
Main reasons:Restate main points for when parents do and do not understand you.
Own opinion:Finally, state your overall opinion on whether you feel your parents understand you.
Ending:Yours faithfully,
Examples of points you can raise about different situations.
Situation 1: / Staying out late with friends.
Feelings (positive): / After all my exams in the summer my parents let me stay out late with my friends.
Feelings (negative): / They never let me stay out during the school term as they think I might get involved in violence or drugs.
Situation 2: / What teenagers spend their money on
Feelings (positive): / My parents are always willing to give me extra pocket money when I need to buy school books.
Feelings (negative): / Most of the time when I just want some money for shopping, they ask many questions before I can have the money. Also, most of the time they do not give me any money because they think I would spend the money on junk food or other useless gadgets.
Situation 3: / Being told to do the housework
Feelings (positive): / Sometimes they say that they just need a hand to do some of the housework and I can do it in my own time.
Feelings (negative): / My parents just order me to do most of the housework even when I have a lot of homework to do.
Situation 4: / Spending a long time on the computer
Feelings (positive): / Usually my parents do not disturb me when I use the computer straight after school.
Feelings (negative): / But always complain if I use the computer during the weekends or if I go to internet cafes.
Situation 5: / Keeping up with the latest fashions
Feelings (positive): / My parents do not say much when I wear the same outfit all the time.
Feelings (negative): / When I buy new clothes or accessories, my mother always complains about the huge wardrobe I have. My father always tells me off for wearing make-up.
N.B.Remember that you should write about at least two NOT all of them.
Question 2
2.Your school is planning to spend a lot of money on setting up a new security system. Video cameras will be placed in all the common areas, including classrooms, corridors and playgrounds.
In your school, there is a Discussion corner, a notice-board where students can freely express their opinions. You have decided to write an article for the corner describing the advantages and disadvantages of such a security system.
Write your article.
Additional comments:
A title is not compulsory for this question.
Do not write that you are writing this for the notice-board in the discussion corner.
Always decide whether you have more points for the disadvantages or advantages and then start writing with the side which have the least points for – this will be your Opposing View (O.V).
Be careful not to write the article as if the new security system has already been installed in school.
Analysis for HKCEE 2003 Paper 1: Question 2
Type: / Argumentative
Language: / Formal
Format: / Article
Question requirement: / The main focus of this question is to write about the advantages and disadvantages of the new security system in your school using your opinion.
Title (optional): / Safe or not so safe?
Introduction / Restate the question:Plan for new security system in school.
State two situations:Depends on chosen situation.
(Outline O.V – opposing view and W.V – writer’s view in each situation)
Controlling idea:Look at advantages and disadvantages.
O.V – Advantages*: / Generally, installing video cameras in all the common areas is seen as a way to make the school safer.
Example: / There would be less bullying as many bullies would not want to be caught on camera.
W.V 1 –
Disadvantages*: / It may become harder to catch bad behaviour in school as it would happen in areas that may not be under surveillance by the security system.
Example: / Places such as in the toilet cubicles could become the new place for more bullying or other bad behaviour.
W.V2 –
Disadvantages*: / The new security system may push bad behaviour out of the school grounds and as a result, it would make it harder to stop bad behaviour.
Example: / Bullies could wait for their victims outside the school gates or in areas just outside the school.
W.V3 –
Disadvantages*: / This could encourage a higher truancy rate for school children.
Example: / Some students may feel that their privacy has been invaded or that they may be caught by teachers for causing trouble.
Conclusion: / Restate the question:School has plans for new security system in all common areas.
Main reasons:Restate main advantage and disadvantage.
Own opinion:State overall opinion on new security system.
*this depends on the stance/view of the writer.
Question 3
3.Your English teacher has asked you to write an imaginative story based on the picture below.
Additional comments:
Can use vocabulary from Harry Potter related writing.
It is best to write the story with you as the main character.
Analysis for HKCEE 2003 Paper 1: Question 3
Type: / Imaginative
Language: / Informal
Format: / Story
Question requirement: / The main focus of this question is to write an original and exciting story using the information and picture given.
Introduction / Background: / Give an introduction using the given information in the Question.
Example of ideas: / I ran home from school because I had had such a bad day and I didn’t want to see or speak to anyone. Luckily, when I got home no one was in the house. I quickly rushed to my room so I could get changed and watch my new DVD, Harry Potter 2, alone. Just as I passed by my sister’s room I heard a loud thumb. I peeked into her room and a saw a circular box. Then suddenly the box popped open and a gravelly voice started talking…
[Add question]
Development: / Then describe your reaction and what happened next.
Example of ideas: / Immediately, I felt so excited. I couldn’t believe my luck. I can become a wizard. So I bolted for the hat without any hesitation…
[describe what kind of tricks you did – look at the list for some ideas]
- never ending supply of money
- big flat with a sports centre
- no school
- no family or friends
- endless supply of your favourite food
Climax: / This would be the main event of your story.
Example of ideas: / [Wearing hat for over 24 hours]
Suddenly, an alarm went off. I looked at my watch. It was already too late, I realized that I had worn the hat for over 24 hours, 26 hours in fact. But nothing bad had happened to me so I decided to keep the hat on as it was so much fun having special powers. I felt as if I never needed any friends or even my family to be happy with this special wizard hat and the amount of special powers I had. But a few minutes later, I felt very faint and my head started hurting as if an elephant had sat on my head. At the same time, I started hearing spooky voices, ‘We’re coming to get you, you’re greedy and evil.’ …
[Explain the main consequence / result of idea]
Ending: / Finish the story. Can add enlightenments or thoughts related to the story.
Example of ideas: / [Returned to real world as a street sleeper with no friends and relatives.]
I woke up with a splitting headache. I reached for the hat on my head. But it wasn’t there. I hunted around but it was nowhere to be seen. Then I heard familiar voices. My family had returned. I felt so happy and raced over to see them. They looked at me and starting screaming and shouting, “Who are you? Horrible, dirty man! Get out of our house! Shoo!” I got pushed out before I could speak. They flung me onto the ground. I felt so hurt as they treated me like a pile of dirt.
[Describe the story on how realized reason for this treatment]
[Enlightenment]
It finally dawned on me that I was too greedy with power and this was my punishment. Now, I am old and poor, and all alone.
The end