Answer key

Unit 4
Reading

Ex 1

[Suggested answers only]

1 They want to improve the English teaching programme and are sensitive to the needs of their
students.
They are sometimes difficult to motivate. They need classes that are interesting.
2 They asked students for suggestions about lessons. They are willing to listen to ideas from the
students. They think that writing is important.
They enjoy lessons that are more active. They wanted to have activities other than sports in the
afternoon. They are creative.
3 We can infer that the tone is positive / encouraging / optimistic because the teachers are willing
to make changes to the English programme and offer students more choices. In addition, by
using words like ‘excited’, ‘hope’, ‘enjoyable’ etc, we can infer that the writer intends to be
positive too.

Ex 2
1 B
*2 The writer admired / respected him because (1 mark)
— he provided interesting after-school activities / valuable learning experiences / he helped the
writer develop his thinking skills / the writer to communicate better with his peers. (1 mark for
any one)
3 C
4 C

* According to the new HKCEE marking scheme, these types of questions will be marked correct
even if there are grammatical or spelling mistakes as long as the meaning is clear.

Ex 3
1 C
2 C


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*3 (i) The handsaws looked like they would bite students.

(ii) The vice looked like it would attack the narrator.
4 5
5 D
6 B

* According to the new HKCEE marking scheme, these types of questions will be marked correct
even if there are grammatical or spelling mistakes as long as the meaning is clear.

Ex 4

[Suggested answers only]

*1 The writer’s positive attitude towards the school is supported by language such as
— stone walls shone the colour of gold.
— the school’s towers stood proud above the ——green meadows of the playing fields.
*2 The writer’s negative description of what he sees is supported by language such as
— ‘dirty-looking river’, ‘mean-looking red brick houses’,
— ‘poor, dirty children were throwing stones at a stray dog’, and ‘a rough-looking woman’.
* According to the new HKCEE marking scheme, these types of questions will be marked correct
even if there are grammatical or spelling mistakes as long as the meaning is clear.

Ex 5
*1 Yes, because
— it helps students to develop their second language.
— it is necessary for mother tongue language development.
— it is necessary for a strong personal and conceptual foundation for learning. (2 marks for any
two)


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2 B
*3 It is Cantonese because her daughter’s English skills are not as advanced as her mother tongue.
4 A

* According to the new HKCEE marking scheme, these types of questions will be marked correct
even if there are grammatical or spelling mistakes as long as the meaning is clear.

Ex 6
1 F
2 A
3 D
4 B

Ex 7
1 encourages
2 attract
3 interesting
4 stop
5 improved / risen / increased / grown
6 positive

Practice for the exam

Text 1
1 2
2 C
*3 No. T. Ray disapproves of the narrator reading, but Mrs Watson thinks reading is something to
be proud of.
4 B
5 D
6 D
7 A
8 F
9 C
10 B
11 G
12 C
*13 No, because she had to work to earn money at the peach stand during the summer holiday.
— her teacher said the only hope for her future was to get a scholarship for her education. (1
mark for any one)
14 C
15 She was positive and supportive because
— she suggested a scholarship.
— she lent her own copies of books to the narrator.
— she encouraged her to do better than beauty school. (1 mark for any one)
16 opposed


 Answer key

17 intelligent / able / smart / clever

18 However / Nevertheless
19 worth
20 educating
21 B

* According to the new HKCEE marking scheme, these types of questions will be marked correct
even if there are grammatical or spelling mistakes as long as the meaning is clear.

Writing

Ex 8
[Suggested answers only]

Firstly, painting is a hobby. Since people do it for relaxation and fun, it should be done in their
spare time. In short, it has no place in the school curriculum.
Secondly, being able to paint is a talent that only some people have. In other words, you are
either good at painting or you are not. Therefore, it is a waste of time and money trying to teach
it to most students.
Lastly, everyone has different views on the definition of good art, so it is not a gradable subject.
For example, one examiner may think a painting is wonderful, while another may think it is
awful. As a result, grades will be inconsistent as they will depend on the examiner.
To summarise, painting should not be taught at school because it is a hobby, it is not something
that can be taught and it cannot be graded fairly.

Ex 9
[Students’ own answers]
• First, computers can help to present information in exciting and interesting ways. For instance,
teachers can produce presentations using three-dimensional and moving images. This helps
them to keep students interested and makes it easier for students to grasp the concepts being
taught.
• In addition, computers can be harmful to students. Research has shown that too much computer
use can weaken students’ reading and mathematical ability. The results of a recent study show
that students who use computers several times a week perform less well in reading and maths
tests than students who use computers just several times a month.


 Answer key

Practice for the exam

Task 1
B


 Answer key

Model answer
Since the handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule, the Government has encouraged local schools to
use Chinese as the medium of instruction. Although some parents prefer schools to use English as the medium
of instruction (EMI) in the classroom, in this essay, I will give three reasons why all Hong Kong schools should
switch to Chinese as the medium of instruction (CMI).

Firstly, children learn better in their native language. Clearly, it is easier to understand difficult subjects if they
are taught in your first language. In addition, researchers have found that students at CMI schools perform much
better in Science tests than students from EMI schools.

Secondly, attending an EMI school is not the only way to learn English. Already, CMI schools offer
English as a subject. Therefore, students can learn English just like they do other subjects.

Finally, there are already options for parents if they want their children to learn in English.
For example, parents can either enrol them in an English tutorial school or enrol them in an
international school. Therefore, there is no need for the Government to fund local schools to use
English as the medium of instruction just to please a few parents.

To summarise, I believe that all local schools should be CMI because children perform better in their
native language, English can be taught more effectively as a subject and there are schools available
that offer English as the medium of instruction.

Ex 10
[Suggested answers only]
1 D
2 H
3 E
4 G
5 B
6 F
7 A
8 C


 Answer key

Practice for the exam

Task 2
Model answer
Good evening and welcome, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Pat Lau, and I am delighted to
represent my school at this important occasion.

I would like to discuss three reasons why my school deserves to win the ‘Outstanding School of the
Year’ award. Of course, other schools will say they are outstanding, but I doubt they can match our
combination of academic and extra-curricular achievements.

Firstly, our school consistently achieves superb academic results. Last year, we had an eighty per cent
pass rate with seventy per cent of students achieving Level 1 and 2. We are now one of the top five
performing schools in Hong Kong.

Secondly, our teachers are extremely innovative and inspiring. They are committed to making every
lesson as interesting and interactive as possible. For example, you may find a Maths class building
rockets or a History class writing poetry about the Ming Dynasty.

Now, let me move on to our extra-curricular activities, which are just as impressive as our academic
merits. For example, we have our own radio station and numerous clubs and societies. This year
alone, students have set up a Harry Potter Appreciation Society, a Line-dancing Club and a Foreign
Language Club.

Let me end by saying that our school is extremely proud of our academic results, teachers and
extra-curricular activities. I hope we will win this award as it would be a wonderful tribute to the
administration, teachers and students.

Thank you very much for your kind attention.