開頭段：There is a general discussion about…

好，我想用一句句構打響頭炮，就是There is + a/an+ (adj)+Noun+ preposition+noun phrase，例子有：There is a general discussion on the campus today over the phenomena of college or high school student’doing a part-time job.　（在今日校園裡有一個普遍的，有關高中或大學生從事兼職工作的現象的討論。）

句子變化：在這種句構裡，There is是不變的，變的是緊跟著的那個名詞。名詞之前可以有加強語氣的形容詞，例如上句例句中的general（廣泛的），同義詞有wide，也可用big/huge（很大）；debate的形容詞配搭還有highly-charged(激烈的)。隨後的介詞取決於那是什麼名詞，但通常也不離開about，on，或over；介詞後的名詞詞組(noun phrase)當然與作文題目有關，篇篇不同。

而這個名詞加介詞詞組除了a discussion之外，可以是： a controversy over（有關…的爭議），例句：There was a (huge) controversy over the anti-discrimination law. (有關反歧視法例，有很大的爭議。)還有debate（辯論）和contention（爭論）。

另外一個可用的名詞是concern，解「關注」，例如：There is a wide concern about the Chinese mainland tourists’behavior in the public area of Hong Kong. （有關中國內地旅客在香港的公眾地方的行為，有廣泛的關注。）concern的形容詞配搭還有ongoing（持續的）。

大家可能有留意到我的中文翻譯句子好像怪怪的，其實因為中英文的句子結構不同，英文的句子，好像沒有主詞，但其實主詞只是隱藏了，而沒顯示出來時卻又不會不合文法；但中文句子若沒有主詞，則好像不合文法的。因此，若認真要翻譯，我以上一段的句子為例，我會加上社會上在後一句句子前，即：有關中國內地旅客在香港的公眾地方的行為，社會上有廣泛的關注。

大家可能會問，為何英文的主詞可以隱藏起來？在此我不想太複雜地討論，因為事實上這句英文句子的主詞是存在的，就是A wide concern about …的詞組，而中文翻譯句子的主詞實際上也不是「社會上」，而是「人們」，而且反而是隱藏了的。但這樣的翻譯分析不是本人這個博客的關注。我應該說，上一句例句的中文翻譯的副詞是漏了，所以聽上來怪怪的，而「社會上」則是填補了的副詞；英文的副詞沒有漏，就是there，there就是in the society(社會上)的代詞。如果覺得不清楚，可以加上in the society在最後，即是：There is a wide concern about the Chinese mainland tourists’ behavior in the public area of Hong Kong in the society，雖然這in the society有點多餘，因為從前文後理讀者也知道關注是存在「社會上」。

英文作文就是詞性轉換:中文動詞轉英文名詞

英語之所以名詞化，是因為英文比中文用少很多動詞。英文句子的謂語，即動詞部份應佔句子結構一少部分的。因為中文用太多動詞，因此用英文作句時要刻意提醒自己名詞化本身中文用動詞的部分。

當然中文動詞名詞化只是減少動詞的一種手段，另外其實也會用動名詞、介詞、不定詞、分詞等代替動詞，以減少英文句子的動詞。因此，才有我早前一篇寫的，所謂高分英文作文要有的五種句型：倒裝、分詞、關係子句、介詞詞組、和同位語，目的終歸也是減少英文的動詞。

因此當我們做英文作文時，在腦中要不斷轉換詞性。由於我們是中國人，擁有中國思維，句子的組成難免是中文的。為寫出真正的英文句子，必須要不斷做詞性轉換。

其實名詞化只是詞性轉換的一種，最常見是中文動詞轉英文名詞，即「你必須好好地照顧病人」譯為: You must take good care of the patients. 中文的名詞「照顧」轉換為英文名詞”care”；而中文副詞「好好地」，變成形容詞”good”。

又如：「絶對不許違反這些原則」可翻為：No violation of these principles can be tolerated.

林則徐認為，要成功地禁止鴉片買賣，就得首先把鴉片焚燬。翻譯是：Lin Zexu believed that a successful ban of opium trade must be preceded by the destruction of opium.

起首句

除了There is a general discussion about….外，另一開頭段甚至開頭句可用的句子結構是：

…. arouse great concern…（…引起好大的關注）

例句：Recently the problem of fake commodities has aroused great concern.（最近假產品的問題引起好大關注。）

首先，是什麼引起好大的關注呢？主詞部份，可用the problem of （…的問題），可用the phenomenon of (…的現象)，或the rise of （…的上升）。例如：The problem of obesity has aroused concern about the unhealthy lifestyle of people. （過度肥胖的問題已引起對人們不健康生活方式的關注。）

句子變化：動詞部份，arouse是引起（一些感覺），也可用raise（引致…的存在），如：The issue of contaminating the unsold food in some stores has raised concern about the problem of food waste。也可直接用cause（引致）：The demolition of Ferry Pier has caused concern about the importance of preservation of cultural heritage in Hong Kong. 若名詞是attention或concern，也可用draw：The conviction of the Bit-Torrent user has drawn attention about the situation of illegal downloading.

名詞部份，concern是關注，也可用awareness，（察覺、覺悟、意識」，或attention（關注）。注意concern通常是不可數名詞，但可以是可數名詞，one concern即一件關注。可用worry（憂慮）。

至於形容詞，跟以前提過的形容discussion/debate/contention/argument/　controversy等時一樣，可以用wide/big/huge/general（廣泛的）。也可用public (大眾的)、popular（流行的）、considerable（重大的）、world-wide(世界性的)。

反駁段: 絕對化反方理據

我們寫反方理據時，可以舉出反方一些有絕對性字眼的理據，令自己容易去反駁。因為每逢絕對，總有例外。例子：

Some people argue that there is nothing optimistic about the future of the environment because globalization has opened up markets and has resulted in an unprecedented increases in the demand for goods.

（有些人論說對於環境的未來，沒有任何樂觀的地方，因為全球化開放了市場，引致了對產品需求史無前例的增加。）

雖然「全球化開放了市場，引致了對產品需求史無前例的增加」的理據合理，但是否真的完全沒有樂觀的地方呢？

我們可以舉一些樂觀的例子作反駁。例如：

However, where we have consumerism, we also have groups of people that raise awareness above the problems of consumerism – an example is the popular “The story of” videos, which began with “The story of stuff”, and went on to produce “The story of plastic bottles” and other related videos. The fact that people are more aware of the problem and of possible solutions – thanks to the very same force of globalization – is a reason for optimism.

（可是，當我們有消費主義，我們也有一些人提高了對消費主義問題的意識─一個例子是流行的「ＸＸＸ的故事」錄像，這些錄像以「什麼什麼的故事」開始，然後製造「膠樽的故事」和其他相關節目。令人樂觀是因為，正正因為這相同的全球化的力量，人們更加意識到消費主義的問題和可能的解決方。）

甚至我們可再加多一個例子：

In addition, consumers are beginning to request greener products, and even though consumerism persists, at the very least, we are making an attempt to consume greener products, as seen by the trend of companies producing and advertising greener products to cater to the more environmentally conscious consumer. Again, this is reason for optimism.

（而且，消費者開始要求更綠色的產品，而雖然消費主義持續，至少，我們作出嘗試去消費更綠色的產品，這可由越來越多公司製造和宣傳更綠色的產品，以照顧更有環境意識的消費者的趨勢可看到。再一次，這是樂觀的理由。）

倒裝句: Ahead sat an old man.

倒裝句: Ahead sat an old man.　（位置副詞＋動詞＋主語）

中文句子基本上沒有被動句，當然是有「被」的句子，但中文的動詞沒有英文的動詞那樣，主動被動分得清清楚楚。例如，「那邊種了一棵樹」，「種」如果譯成英文一定是被動:A tree was planted there，但中文卻不會說「那邊被種了一棵樹」。中英文中的主詞都沒有提及，但中文卻不會刻意將動詞加上「被」。

這一種動詞實際是被動的中文句子，譯成英文時有四種譯法。倒裝句是其中一種。

讓我以這句做例子：描金的福建漆盤子裡還放著當天的報。

第一種譯法：用被動句。即成：The morning newspaper was put on the gilded Fujian lacquer tray.這是最見的譯法。

第二種：用There is句式─There is the morning newspaper on the gilded Fujian lacquer tray.

第三種：用倒裝，即是：On the gilded Fujian lacquer lay the morning newspaper. lay是lie的過去式，是主動動詞，直譯是：當天的報躺在描金的福建漆盤子裡。

第四種是補上主語：One has put the morning newspaper on the gilded Fujian lacquer tray.

其他可用此種倒裝句的動詞包括：climb, come, fly, go, lie, run, sit, stand等。

反駁段:好處大過壞處

寫反駁段時，先要呈現反對方的立場和理據(counter argument)，然後再作出反駁(refutation或rebuttal)。

有時，當然一兩句已可以KO反方理據。但如果對方真的有道理，怎辦？

其實，有時未必一定要KO反方理據。例如，討論學生穿校服應否強制性，反方理據是強制穿校服會減少學生的個人自由(take away from personal freedom)。說真的如果認為這個理據不需反駁，因為好處多過壞處，那可以說：

Many people might say that uniforms might take away personal freedom, but I believe the benefits are stronger than the drawbacks.

 (很多人說校服可能會減少個人自由，但我認為其好處強過壞處。)

好處大大多過壞處，亦可說：The advantage far outweigh the disadvantages.

speaking:Why volunteering is important

e.g.  回饋社區 to give back to the community

reasons for volunteering

1.      得到成就感 _______________________________________________________

2.      建立自信   _______________________________________________________

3.      將笑聲和笑容帶給別人 _____________________________________________

4.      接受新挑戰________________________________________________________

5.      得到滿足感 _______________________________________________________

6.      傳播正面能量______________________________________________________

Types of voluntary work in Hong Kong

1.      保護環境  ________________________________________________________

2.      教導難民學習基本電腦技術__________________________________________________________________

3.      給予年青人鼓勵

__________________________________________________________________

4.      教導老人家如何使用互聯網

__________________________________________________________________

How Hong Kong society view volunteering (2 marks each)

1.      所有香港人都對義工有正面看法。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.      在香港社會義工受到尊敬。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.      義工被認為是無私和關心人的人。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.      有些人覺得做義工是浪費時間。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.      政府應該透過給予更多資源去支持義工和慈善組織。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

it is+ adj + for sb+ to v

Today i talked about the sentence structure.

HOng kong students write this sentence:

"The burglars are difficult to find the valuables."

It should be changed to :

"It is difficult for burglars to find the valuables."

The sentence structure they have to know is:

"It is + adj + for sb+ to + v."

editorial

grade students' writing

film review

DSE writing marking scheme

common problems of students

班學生啲作文唔得.我唸要同佢哋搞清兩樣野先:


1. part of speech


2. relative clauses 

japan wilful behavior

oral practice: WKCD

(Preparation: 10 minutes. Discussion: 8 minutes)

The article below appeared in newspaper some time ago:

Hong Kong theatres draw little applause from critics 
Production companies complain there are not enough affordable venues for the city's performance artists 
19 August 2006
Michael Taylor
South China Morning Post

DOES HONG KONG have the potential to be the Times Square of Asia, or China's West End? The answers vary. 

According to Stanley Shen, spokesman for New Icon, which produces and presents live shows, there is a "huge following for live theatre - both in Cantonese and English". The only downside is a lack of performance venues available at a reasonable price. 

Mr Shen said about 10,000 people worked in the field of live theatre in Hong Kong - about a third of the number in New York and half that of London. He conceded that the city lacked "the depth of talent" of Broadway or the West End, adding that young performers wanting to polish their acts usually ended up going abroad or working for touring companies. 

"There are lots of enthusiastic people working in all aspects of the theatre industry here, from scriptwriters and composers to stage designers, set designers, singers and dancers," Mr Shen said. 

"There are also people on the production side who know how to manage and budget. There is a fine array of talented people - the only thing that is missing is a place to perform." 

Ko Chi-sum, chief executive of Spring-Time Stage Productions, shared the same concern. "The lack of venues is a big problem," he said. "If we don't have enough hardware it will be very difficult for us to develop the software." 

The government's proposed West Kowloon Cultural District is at the top of both Mr Shen and Mr Ko's wish list. In addition to museums and an art exhibition centre, the new district will include a theatre complex with space for 400, 800 and 2,000 people, a performance venue with at least 10,000 seats, a water amphitheatre and four piazzas. 

"West Kowloon is key to the future of live theatre and other performing arts in the city," said David Quah, a voice teacher and coach at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (APA). "Hopefully it will bring in more and more people to Hong Kong, as well as more locals who are willing to take part in musical theatre and opera and hopefully more sponsors as well, since there are so many big businesses here." 

While the government, arts groups and developers in Hong Kong argue over the controversial cultural district along the Kowloon waterfront, Shanghai has taken concrete action, completely refurbishing the old Nanking Theatre and turning it into a world-class performance venue. 

Originally built in 1930, it has been renamed the Shanghai Concert Hall. Plans have also been announced for the construction of three theatres - to be known as Culture Corner - which will target Broadway-type musicals. 

No wonder the likes of London-based Cameron Mackintosh, a producer of such blockbusters as Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon, have set up shop in the city. 

New York-based Broadway Asia Entertainment has also established its first overseas office in Shanghai. It plans to present at least 12 bilingual musicals on the mainland over the next three years, touring more than 20 cities. Included will be such perennial favourites as 42nd Street and West Side Story. 

According to Australian actor, singer and writer Robert Vicencio, who toured the world playing Thuy in Miss Saigon, Hong Kong - thanks to its legal system, low taxes and large number of English speakers - continues to make the perfect launch pad into China and the region. However, he doubted that it has what it takes to be the Far East's Broadway. 

"There are some great theatres in Shanghai," he said. "The Shanghai Concert Hall feels like a West End theatre, except that everything looks brand new. But there is more to it than the theatres. It is also the city itself. Shanghai has the right buzz." 

But Hong Kong's reviews were not all negative. The city might not have an adequate number of performance venues, let alone such stylish sites such as the Shanghai Concert Hall, but it does have an ace up its sleeve. 

"There is no censorship here and no restrictions," Mr Ko said. "This is Hong Kong's strong point. Here we enjoy artistic freedom." 

For those aspiring to a career in live theatre, the going can be tough. Mr Ko estimated that fewer than 20 per cent of the graduates of APA's drama department had been able to pursue full-time careers in the field.

But for some - such as Angela Lam Ho-ka, who undertook a three-year advanced diploma in musical theatre (dance) after finishing Form Five - it all boils down to following your heart. 

"It is a good career as long as you like to perform," she said. "There aren't many full-time opportunities, but you can work as a freelancer on stage or do television commercials. If you like teaching you can also teach at children's centres or schools."

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=222600&page=17

Your group has been asked to write an article for you school magazine about the advantages and disadvantages of having the West Kowloon Cultural District. Discuss with your group what to include in the article. You may want to talk about:

l   the benefits for having the West Kowloon Cultural District

l   why some people think the money spent on the project should be spent elsewhere

l   other things you think are important 

Reading Practice paper

Part A: Read the article “Hong Kong theatres draw little applause from critics “ and answer the following questions.

1.      Why do young performers who want to polish their acts “ended up going abroad or working for touring companies”? ( 1 mark)

_____________________________________________________________________

2.      Give three types of performance venues that the West Kowloon Cultural District will have. (3 marks)

_____________________________________________________________________

3.      In paragraph 11, what does “the city” refer to? (1 mark)

_____________________________________________________________________

4.      Find a word which mean “lasting a very long time” from paragraph 10-16. (1 mark)

_____________________________________________________________________

5.      Does Robert Vicencio, mentined in paragraph 12, agree that Hong Kong can be Far East’s Broadway? Why ? (3 marks)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

6.      According to Ko Chi-sum, what are the advantages of Hong Kong? (4 marks)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

7.      What does “boils down to” in paragraph 18 mean? (1 mark)

a.       is because of

b.      controls

c.       flows

d.      heats

8.      Find five adverbs from the text. (5 marks)

_____________________________________________________________________

9.      In pargraph 15, the phrase “let alone” can be replaced by… (1 mark)

a.       not to mention

b.      except

c.       despite of

d.      because of

10.  The writer asks in the 1^st paragraph, “Does Hong Kong have the potential to be the Times Square of Asia, or China’s West End?” What is your view? Why?(3 marks)

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

should pseudo-models be banned from appearing from the HKBF?

剛剛與學生作了條題目: should pseudo-models be banned from appearing from the HKBF?


agree


three reasons: 
1st: Their books are of low reading value. They are not books in some sense. 
2nd: People go there to visit the models but not buy books. The mission of the book fair, which is to promote the reading culture, cannot be achieved. 
3rd: Their photo albums display their suggestive body gestures, portraying a wrong concept of sex and women. 


language mistakes:
1. cannot use the relative pronoun such as "which"
2. lack vocab, as they used simple words such as "make", "affect" a lot
3. spelling mistakes such as "post" for "pose"
4. grammar mistake. For example, they miss "should" in the sentence such as "I agree that the pseudo models be banned from the HKBF."
5. use words wrongly. For example, they like to say, "The book fair appeared the pseudo models." 

COMMON MISTAKES IN ORAL EXAM:


1. The passage is talk about
2. The article is concern about education.
3. Nowaday, people think,
4. It is not surprise to...
5. I suggest to ban smoking.
6. In my opinion, I think...
7. Would you mind explain...
8. Teenagers spend their leisure time in many ways such as go to the karaoke.
9. In the past, Hong Kong is...
10. The students are busy to prepare the exam.
11. One of the way to solve the problem is...
12. There are many people live in the New Territories.
13. Though it is a good idea, but it is impossible.
14. Last year, many fires have happened.
15. There have many cases of suicides.