SKH Bishop Baker Secondary School

Second Term Examination 2019-2020

Secondary 5 English Language Paper 2
Writing
Sample Writing

Part A Question 1

1.1: About us > Who we are

Teen Zone is a brand-new youth drop-in centre that opened on 1st February 20__. Located on the

fifteenth floor of 436 King’s Road, the centre is open twenty-four hours a day, making it an excellent

place for you and your friends to meet up whenever you like. Teen Zone is here to support you — we

provide teens with a safe and comfortable environment, as well as professional counselling services. We

hope Teen Zone will become your second home!

1.2: About us > What we offer

Teen Zone has a number of senior counsellors who volunteer regularly. These counsellors, who all have

had years of training, always give excellent advice. Whenever you need to talk to someone about your

problems, Teen Zone has the right people for you.

Rather than gather at a park or playground at night, why don’t you and your friends spend time together

somewhere safer? Teen Zone offers you a relaxing place to chill out. We have a very spacious area

that’s separated into different sections, such as places for reading and listening to music, so we can meet

everyone’s needs.

Although Teen Zone is new, we’ve already started to organise many exciting events for you. We’re sure
you won’t want to miss our upcoming Hip-hop Night or Film Night!

(206 words)
 2019-20/Term2Exam./S.5/Eng. II/Sample Writing/P.2

Part B Question 2
Free entry to museums benefits us all

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to talk about making all museums free to the public.
Visiting museums is a popular activity whether you’re a tourist or in your hometown. Some museums
require an entrance fee, but some do not. I believe that museums can enrich our lives, and therefore,
everyone should have free access to them. Let me back up my opinion with the following three
arguments.

First, museums are places of learning. They store our history, heritage, knowledge and art so that they
can be passed down through the generations. Therefore, not only do people visit museums for
entertainment, they also go there for education and inspiration. Looking at a picture in a book or even a
3-D computer image using today’s modern technology just cannot compare to seeing the real thing. By
allowing us to get up close to exhibits that are decades, centuries or even thousands of years old,
museums encourage us to learn more and inspire our creativity.

My second argument is that charging admission fees can make museums less affordable for people on a
low income. Although some museums charge modest ticket prices, other museums — including some of
the most famous ones in popular tourist destinations around the world — charge quite hefty entry fees.
Art is meant to be shared and appreciated, so why deny the public the ability to do this freely?
Eliminating entrance fees to museums will allow more people to enjoy them. It would also broaden the
range of people who go to museums. To some, museums are stuffy, boring places. But if they were all
free, it would encourage more people who wouldn’t normally pay a visit to a museum to give one a try.

Finally, museums play an integral part in communities. Free museums can help entice more tourists to
visit an area. Boosting tourist figures can benefit many other businesses in the area by bringing in more
customers. Furthermore, tourists can also reap benefits since visiting museums can broaden their
cultural horizons, allowing them to understand other people’s cultures and traditions better. This makes
it a win-win situation for tourists and locals alike.

To conclude, museums enrich our lives by encouraging us to develop our knowledge. They open our
eyes to new things and broaden our cultural horizons. Therefore, it makes sense to make all museums
free to the public so that everyone can benefit from them as much as possible.

Thank you.

(413 words)
 2019-20/Term2Exam./S.5/Eng. II/Sample Writing/P.3

Part B Question 3

An interesting and entertaining evening

Posted by Chris Wong

Last night, I did something that I’ve never done before — I attended an ‘open mic night’ at a place
called Cafe GC in Causeway Bay. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this concept, an ‘open mic
night’ is an event where anyone can get up on stage and perform. You don’t have to be a professional
performer — you just need the courage to go on stage and strut your stuff! On this particular night,
audience members who want to perform write their names on a blackboard at the side of the stage.
When their turn comes, the host invites them up to the stage and away they go.

The host yesterday evening was a cheerful man who introduced himself as Martin. He started off by
playing a few songs on his guitar — one by The Beatles and some others that I didn’t recognise.
Everyone was impressed by his skilful guitar playing and powerful singing voice.

After a few songs, it was time for him to invite the first performer to the stage — a middle-aged man in
a suit who looked like he’d come straight from his office! I was very surprised when he unzipped a
backpack and pulled out an assortment of juggling balls and sticks. He entertained us for several
minutes with some amazing juggling tricks. He dropped things once or twice, but nobody minded.
When he finished, he got a massive round of applause.

After that, a young girl got up and played some classical music on the piano. She didn’t even need the
sheet music in front of her! I’m not musical at all, so that really took my breath away. The third
performer was a poet. Can you imagine a poet with a punk haircut and a lot of tattoos? He didn’t look
like a poet, but his poetry was truly beautiful. It just goes to show that you should never judge a book by
its cover!

By the end of the evening, the audience had seen musicians, singers, poets, dancers and comedians. It
was a really fun night, and we all wished that it could have lasted longer, because some people hadn’t
yet got the chance to show their talent. I’ll definitely be going back to support them at the next ‘open
mic night’. Maybe I’ll be brave enough to sign up and recite one of my poems!

(403 words)
 2019-20/Term2Exam./S.5/Eng. II/Sample Writing/P.4

Part B Question 4

Going to dangerous lengths for ‘likes’

Today social media dominates many people’s lives. For some people, that means obsessively watching
what their friends or idols are up to. For others, it means going to extreme — and often dangerous —
lengths to boost their following. As you may know, people with a strong following on platforms like
Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube can make money from advertising and even obtain free goods and
services from companies who seek to capitalise on their popularity.

One of the best ways to increase your social media following is to post new content on a frequent basis.
Often, all this means is for people to post pictures or videos of themselves in beautiful locations,
enjoying delicious food or taking part in exciting activities. However, there have been many cases where
the quest to attract more ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ has led people down a riskier path.

As an example, there are more and more people who are putting their lives at risk to take ‘selfies’ in
dangerous situations, such as posing right at the edge of a cliff or a little too close to a dangerous
animal. The danger gives these photos an air of excitement, and that makes them popular with followers.
In many cases, these people escape unharmed, but there have been occasions where things have gone
wrong, and people have been seriously injured or even killed.

People do not just engage in dangerous behaviour though. Some have also made the news by filming or
taking photos of themselves acting in controversial or inappropriate ways while visiting other countries
— breaking laws and violating cultural norms. Others have posted videos of themselves saying
offensive things or intentionally trying to upset other people, just to provoke a strong reaction.
Unfortunately such negative and disrespectful behaviour can set a very bad example for others,
especially impressionable youngsters who are likely to try to emulate people that they admire.

To discourage people from doing dangerous or disrespectful things and sharing them on social media,
we must find a way to ensure that there are serious consequences for people who do this. For example,
‘selfies’ that show dangerous acts should be removed by social media administrators, and people who
post offensive videos should be banned from YouTube. We also need to put pressure on advertisers and
other companies not to reward such behaviour. Finally, it is important to educate people about what is
not acceptable in society online and offline.

(409 words)
 2019-20/Term2Exam./S.5/Eng. II/Sample Writing/P.5

Part B Question 5
Subject: Complaints about missing items from the fridge
Dear colleagues

I am writing in response to a number of complaints that have been received about snacks and lunches
going missing from the fridge in the office kitchen.

I have been informed that even though people have left numerous notes on the fridge asking for their
food to be left alone, items have continued to go missing. According to the complaints, this is something
that has been happening for at least two months.

The situation cannot be allowed to continue for three main reasons. First, it causes great inconvenience
to our colleagues, who are forced to waste time and money replacing stolen items. Second, it
contravenes company policy. Third, it constitutes theft, which, as you all know, is a crime.

In an effort to combat the problem, all members of staff are now required to label their food and drink
items with their name, department and the date before placing them in the fridge. Markers and labels
have been placed in the kitchen for your use. Note that any food and drink items that are not properly
labelled may be removed without notice. I would also like to request that any further thefts of such items
are reported to Human Resources immediately.

With the measures mentioned above, I am hopeful that the thefts will cease and that we will not have to
take any further action. However, if the thefts continue, our next step will be to install a CCTV camera
in the kitchen. Any employees who are filmed taking or consuming items from the fridge that do not
belong to them will be dealt with in accordance with the company’s disciplinary policy. As a reminder,
this policy states that employee theft is regarded as serious misconduct, and may be punishable by
termination of employment and possible prosecution.

Finally, I would like to address directly the person / people responsible for the food items going missing.
If the food is being taken because you are experiencing financial difficulties, please make an
appointment to come and talk to me. The company does have policies in place to provide emergency
financial assistance to employees in exceptional circumstances. Please be assured that this matter will be
dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Should you have any queries, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your attention.

Regards

Chris Wong
Human Resources Manager

(400 words)
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Part B Question 6
Into the darkness

The midday sun was shining. Eva and I were on our weekly hike. This time, we were hiking towards
The Peak.

We paused for a short rest after hiking for an hour, and a lizard’s vivid markings caught my eye.
Something suddenly startled the lizard and it scuttled into some dense bushes. Peering through the
foliage, I spotted a cave in the background and gasped in surprise and delight.

Eva was excited too and ran over to get a closer look.

‘What do you think?’ I asked. ‘Shall we go exploring?’

‘Let’s do it!’ she exclaimed.

Neither of us had a torch, but we had our phones, so we were pretty sure we’d be okay.

Hunching over, we ventured a few steps into the cave. Before long, we were forced to crawl as the roof
of the cave got lower and lower. I took the lead, holding my phone out in front of me, the light from it
sliding through the darkness.

The passage twisted and turned. As it got narrower, the rough, rocky sides became gradually smoother
until eventually a perfectly round, smooth tube appeared in front of us. Its walls seemed to emit a faint
blue light.

Eva began to feel a sense of unease.

‘This is getting weird, Chris,’ she said worriedly. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

‘Come on, Eva, just a little further. It’ll be fine,’ I reassured.

‘I’m sorry. I’ll wait for you outside,’ Eva said and started to crawl backwards out of the cave.

I looked at the time on my phone. It was 12.49 p.m. Determined to solve the mystery of the cave, I
started moving forwards again. Up ahead, the cave made a sharp turn to the left. I continued crawling
until suddenly the cave disappeared and I felt myself falling into endless darkness. Soon I lost
consciousness.

When I woke up, I was lying alone outside the cave entrance again. I slowly stood up and looked
around. The view of Victoria Harbour looked familiar, yet different. I grabbed my phone to call Eva, but
got no answer. Looking at the screen, I noticed the time was wrong — it couldn’t possibly still be 12.49
p.m.. I opened up the clock app and, to my surprise, saw that the year was 2089! I looked again at the
view of Victoria Harbour and realised why it looked different. I didn’t recognise any of the buildings
before me!

Had I really travelled through time?

(412 words)
 2019-20/Term2Exam./S.5/Eng. II/Sample Writing/P.7

Part B Question 7
Subject: A talk about your experiences as an actor
Dear Mr Chan

While surfing the Internet recently, I discovered that you were once an actor. I found out that you had
acted in the television dramas Glory Days and Flying High when you were younger. I was extremely
surprised by this information, and I am sure many of my fellow students have no idea that we have a TV
star in our midst.

I am writing in the hope of convincing you to give a talk at school about your experiences as an actor
and what you learnt from them. I think that not only would students find such a talk fascinating, but they
would also benefit greatly from it.

Students would benefit from learning the valuable lesson that there are things more important than fame
and fortune. In your case, you chose to pursue a career in education over a career in show business. I
think it sets an excellent example for students, because it clearly prioritises education and other people’s
needs over the pursuit of celebrity.

In addition, through your talk, you would be able to impress on students that show business is nowhere
near as glamorous as it is made out to be. I am sure you would be able to tell many interesting stories
about what it was like to work as a professional actor, and how difficult and stressful the job was, for
example, the long working hours and tough working conditions. This would be highly beneficial to
students who may be considering a career in the entertainment industry as it would provide them with an
accurate portrayal of what show business is really like.

Lastly, students would learn that they should not be afraid of making major life changes if things are not
working out the way they want them to. I do not know the reasons behind your decision to turn away
from a life of acting to become a teacher, but I am sure it was not an easy decision to make. Sharing
your decision-making process in this situation would inspire students not to be afraid of taking similar
risks in their own lives, and would teach them to consider options carefully before taking the plunge.

I really hope that you will agree to do this talk. I would be happy to meet with you to talk over your
thoughts on it.

Regards
Chris Wong
(403 words)
 2019-20/Term2Exam./S.5/Eng. II/Sample Writing/P.8

Part B Question 8
The pros and cons of wearable technology in schools

The capabilities of today’s technology are truly remarkable, in particular, technology that people can
‘wear’. You may have seen VR (Virtual Reality) headsets, AR (Augmented Reality) glasses,
smartwatches, smart bracelets and even smart uniforms. While it is true that wearable technology has
many applications in schools, there remains a level of controversy about whether or not it should be
used. This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of wearable
technology in schools.

One major advantage is that wearable technology has the potential to increase students’ engagement in
the classroom, which in turn makes teaching and learning more effective. For example, devices that use
VR and AR technology can create a more vivid and enthralling learning environment, making lessons
more easily understandable and more memorable.

Wearable technology can also facilitate remote learning. By using smart glasses, for instance, students
and teachers are no longer limited by their physical location. This is important for students who are ill or
unable to travel to school because it means they can still participate fully in lessons, which can be
broadcast via the smart glasses they wear.

Another advantage of wearable technology is that it can help keep students safe, both in and out of
school. For example, equipping students — especially younger children — with smartwatches that can
make and receive calls and track the wearer’s location gives parents and schools more peace of mind
when it comes to student safety.

Although wearable technology offers many advantages, it also presents a number of disadvantages for
schools and students. Take smart bracelets or smart uniforms that track students’ locations as examples.
While this technology can be useful in monitoring attendance and combating truancy, it also raises
concerns about privacy. There is nothing that can stop schools from tracking their students outside
school hours. Many people believe that this constitutes a breach of privacy.

Another disadvantage of wearable technology is that it has the potential to make cheating easier.
Students could use wearable devices to look up answers surreptitiously or communicate with other
students during tests or exams. Clearly, this is something that should not be encouraged.

In conclusion, even though there are some drawbacks to the use of wearable technology in schools, I
believe that the advantages far outnumber the disadvantages. I think it is particularly advantageous that
wearable technology benefits students’ learning and helps ensure their safety in and out of school.
(409 words)
 2019-20/Term2Exam./S.5/Eng. II/Sample Writing/P.9

Part B Question 9

Dear Mr Lui

Re: Suggested upgrades to the centre’s facilities

As a member of the Wellness Sports Centre, I am writing in response to your request for suggestions on
upgrades to the centre’s facilities. I would like to take this opportunity to suggest upgrades in three
particular areas.

Established six years ago, the centre offers a wide range of facilities for different sports. However, most
of our sports equipment have never once been renewed. For example, many of the badminton rackets
and table tennis bats available for members to borrow are old and cracked. Nearly all the nets for
various sports have holes in them too. Now is the chance to replace all this outdated equipment. We
could even purchase extra rackets and bats to benefit more members.

The second upgrade that I would like to suggest is an improvement to our football pitch and tennis
courts, which are located on the rooftop of our multifunction sports hall. Currently, these are open-air
facilities without any cover or lighting, making them basically unusable on rainy days and in the
evening. I think installing lights in these areas as well as putting a roof over them — a retractable fabric
roof, for example — would be a very worthwhile upgrade as it would allow members to make greater
use of these facilities. Hopefully, it would also help improve the training environment for our football
team and tennis team members and thus their performance in various matches.

Thirdly, it would be a real improvement to our centre if we were to upgrade our support facilities
catering to different members’ needs. As you know, many of our members have children. We could
consider building some family-friendly facilities, such as a dedicated play area for our members’
children. Members could volunteer to supervise the play area. Parents would thus feel secure leaving
their children to play safely while they take part in other activities. There are also parent members who
do sports with their kids. For these families, we could consider upgrading our changing rooms to include
rooms specifically designed for parents and their kids to use together. Such family-friendly facilities can
encourage our members to participate in physical activity more frequently. It could also help boost
membership numbers.

I hope you will take these ideas into consideration. I also look forward to hearing about other members’
suggestions.

Yours sincerely

Chris Wong

(395 words)

END OF SAMPLE WRITING