F.6ENGLISH

LANGUAGE REVIEW

Dates of Exam12/4/13 13/4/13 2-15/5/13

Papers 1 & 2 Paper 3 Paper 4

Full Mark Mean Score (%)

Part A 47 55.4

Part B1 45 40.9

Part B2 46 60.6

PAPER 1 (1.5 HOURS – 20%)

Reading Skills

• To locate specific information quickly, you should scan the reading passage.

• Learn to recognize paragraphing in order to find information in a reading passage that has the same meaning as the information you need, but is expressed in different words.

1. True / False / Not given questions

Statement True False NG

Only children stitched the quilt.

Rachel and Jacob are related.

Jacob and Patrick are classmates.

Each participant could express their

personality through the pledge patches.

e.g. DSE-B1 Text 2 Q34

2. Ticking options

e.g. DSE-B1 Text 2 Q24

When the Chubins first opened Crafeteria, they wanted a store where people could ____________. Put a tick () next to each statement that applies.

- sew a huge quilt

- learn how to quilt and embroider

- buy yarn, sewing machines, and all kinds of fabrics

- meet other customers

- repair their sewing machines

3. Table Completion

4. Dictionary entry

e.g. DSE-B1 Text 2 Q25

Which of the following is closest in meaning to ‘intrigued’ (line 28)?

A.fascinated

B.confused

C.surprised

D.delighted

5. Table completion of reference5. words

6. Short response questions on6. reference wordse.g. DSE-PP-B1 Text 2 Q32

What does ‘it’ (line 31) refer to?

walking cane

7. Cloze summary completion

e.g. DSE-PP-B1 Text 4 Q48

Complete the following sentence.

Tip 4 recommends using paper packaging instead of styrofoam because it uses less space when thrown in the rubbish // it reduces the volume of rubbish (being) produce……………………………………………..

paper packaging

styrofoam it uses less space whenthrown in the rubbish // it reduces the volume of

rubbish (being) produced.

7. Cloze summary completion

e.g. DSE-B1 Text 2 Q40

Complete the summary of the text by writing ONE word to fill in each blank. You should make sure your answers are grammatically correct, paying attention to tenses, plurals, etc.

7. Cloze summary completion

e.g. DSE-B1 Text 2 Q40

The Climate Quilt Campaign is an international initiative involving young people. In Pennsylvania, the owners of Crafeteria invited members of their community to take part in this campaign. Children were given a scrap of recycled fabric // clothing which they used to make pledge patches .

international

Crafeteria

fabric // clothingpledge patches

7. Cloze summary completion

e.g. DSE-B1 Text 3 Q40

Children taking part were of all ages , so the sophistication of the pledges and the squares varied. ‘I pledge to save water // food // leftovers ’ was one example of a pledge.

ages

water // food // leftovers

8. Multiple choice questions

9. Matching titles to texts

e.g. DSE-B1 Text 2 Q39

Which of the following is the best alternative title for this text?

A.Campaign Needs Volunteers

B.Climate Change around the World

C.Climate Quilt in Action

D.Recycling Old Clothes

10. Matching subheadings to10. paragraphse.g. DSE-B1 Text 2 Q37

Which subheading below fits each section in Text 2?

Write the letter (A, B, C, D, E) of each section next to the correct subheading. One has been done as an example. One subheading is NOT used and should be left blank.

10. Matching subheadings to10. paragraphse.g. DSE-B1 Text 2 Q37

Which subheading below fits each section in Text 2?

Subheadings Sections

A love of quilting _______

Locals get involved _______

Volunteers share their experience_______

The campaign continues _______

A campaign for all children _______

Craferteria iiiiiiBiiiiii

C

D

E

A

11. Filling in the blanks

e.g. DSE-PP-B1 Text 3 Q44

This text was written for people working in the i restaurant // food // catering business.

e.g. DSE-Part B1 Text 2 Q26

Quilting is a form of recycling because you can make something new out of old fabrics that are sewn together .

restaurant // food // catering

old fabrics sewntogether

12. Guessing the meaning of difficult12. wordse.g. DSE-PP-Part A Q14

In line 73, what does ‘thrashed about’ mean?

A.to play with

B.to fight with

C.to swim very quickly

D.to move about violently

13. Pronoun reference

e.g. DSE-PP-Part A Q2

According to line 9, who are ‘these people’?

visitors to zoos / aquariums

5 million people who visit Ocean Park

e.g. DSE-PP-Part A Q10

What does ‘their’ in line 48 refer to?

guests / guests’

14. Attitude

e.g. DSE-Part B1 Text 2 Q28

How did Kemmerer feel when she said, ‘We couldn’t have finished the job without the help of the local community’ (lines 55-56)?

A.critical

B.grateful

C.confident

D.frustrated

15. Main idea questions

e.g. DSE-PP-Part A Q1

What is the main idea of paragraph 1?

Zoos, aquariums and marine parks …

A.are funded by governments.

B.are well supported by the general public.

C.are attracting increasing numbers of visitors each year.

D.are centres of education, conservation and entertainment.

16. Vocabulary questions: synonyms16. and antonymse.g. DSE-PP-Part A Q15

Find TWO phrases in paragraph 7 that mean the same as ‘being kept as prisoner’.

a) (being) held captive

b) in (close) confinement

17. Sequencing questions

e.g. DSE-B1 Q38

The flowchart below shows the sequence of events in order to make a pledge patch for the Climate Quilt Campaign. Complete the statement by writing the correct letter inside the box. Use each letter once only.

17. Sequencing questions

e.g. DSE-B1 Q38

STATEMENTS

A.…patch in a creative way.

B.…patch to the campaign offices.

C.…patch with your pledge to help the environment.

D.…fabric from old clothes, bed sheets, or table cloths

E.…patch to the Campaign’s website.

F.…patch approximately 16 cm X 16 cm and make iiisure the sides are straight.

17. Sequencing questions

e.g. DSE-B1 Q38

How to make a pledge patch

Step 1 FIND SOME … _______

Step 2 CUT A … _______

Step 3 PERSONALISE YOUR … _______

Step 4 DECORATE YOUR … _______

Step 5 SEND YOUR … _______

C

A

B

D

F

18. Identifying speakers and 18. distinguishing opinionse.g. DSE-PP-Part A Q23

The text presents two opposing views of educating children about animals. Discuss which view you find most convincing and why.

The first writer (Suzanne Gendren) because the courses and the interaction with animals are educational and can help us learn about animals. OR The second writer (Peter Singer) because animals are forced to live in small spaces // animals are forced to perform tricks.

Part A

Compulsory – 200 words; 10%

Text types: feature article, letter, suggestion form,

blog, leaflet, email

Part B

Select a question from the 8 Elective questions – 400

words; 15%

Text types: article, advice letter, speech, 1sided & 2-

sided essays, story, blog, email, proposal, report

PAPER 2 (2 HOURS – 25%)

Writing tips and strategies(2012 HKDSE Paper 2, Question1)

The best part of my job

•Note the text type

•Be concise

•Think of one to two content points for this part

•Include your feeling

Writing tips and strategies(2012 HKDSE Paper 2, Question1)

The biggest challenge I have ever faced in my job

•Think of some challenges a news reporter might face

•Add a sentence to talk about your personal feeling

Writing tips and strategies(2012 HKDSE Paper 2, Question1)

My school days

•Think of some experiences that are linked to your career

Mark Scheme for Paper 2

Content•address the requirements of the question•relevant•ideas developed in detail•able to maintain the reader’s interest•show your awareness of the audience

Language•a range of accurate sentence structures•grammatical sentences•a wide range of vocabulary•accurate spelling and punctuation•appropriate register, tone and style

Organisation•introduction - body – conclusion•connectives •appropriate text type

Common Mistakesanswers

Word choice

• 1. hobbies• 2. pocket• 3. access• 4. unite• 5. ask• 6. prevent• 7. useless• 8. choice• 9. healthy• 10. traditional

Word choice• 11. complaint• 12. successful• 13. nature• 14. break• 15. In• 16. yesterday• 17. specially• 18. aloud• 19. regrettable• 20. notify• 21. difficult• 22. which

Pronouns and articles

• 23. My friend and I• 24. them• 25. she• 26. a

Formulaic expressions

• 27. Delete either “In my opinion” or ‘I think’• 28. From• 29. delete ‘am’• 30. summary• 31. respect• 32. As far as I know• 33. do

Sentence patterns

• 34. delete ‘but’• 35. much• 36. are• 37. It

Verbs and tenses

• 38. delete ‘to’• 39. hold• 40. adopting• 41. not to write• 42. listening to music• 43. be• 44. been• 45. Did• 46. Delete ‘was’• 47. would appreciate it if

Verbs and tenses

• 48. develop• 49. I had visited• 50. is located• 51. tried• 52. will be held• 53. delete ‘to’• 54. tell

Subject verb agreement

• 55. doesn’t• 56. forms• 57. questions

Prepositions• 58. delete ‘about’• 59. with• 60. at• 61. of• 62. on• 63. on• 64. at• 65. delete ‘in’• 66. on• 67. in

Prepositions

• 68. to• 69. delete ‘from’• 70. to• 71. on• 72. delete ‘on’• 73. inform you of the result• 74. help you with• 75. delete ‘on’

Adjectives and adverbs

• 76. boring• 77. safe• 78. delete ‘more’• 79. easily• 80. interested• 81. independently

Articles

• 82. delete ‘the’• 83. the English Society• 84. delete ‘the’• 85. All of the students • 86. delete ‘of’

•Common mistakes in Writing Part A:

Volunteering for an environmental protection organisation

Articles

1. Protecting environment is our

responsibility.

2. Environment Club

3. … to protect the nature

4. A environmental group

the

the

An

Prepositions

1. the past

2. share sth sb

3. work on your organisation

4. apply a job

in

with

for

for

Prepositions

5. to adapt the environment

6. learn sth to doing sth

to

from

infinitives

1. We should held many …

2. to brought our classmates

3. can doing meaningful activities

bring

hold

do

word usage

1. environment awareness

2. to protect the environmental

3. in adverse

environment

environmental

advance

tenses

1. When I was young, I am curious …

2. I join many volunteer activities

since

3. I am in primary school.

have joined

was

was

Spelling

1. destroy

2. situation

3. influence

4. future

5. strive

6. documentaries

Spelling

7. global warming

8. latest

9. breathe

10. performance

11. sense

12. Form One

Spelling

13. ignore

14. environment

15. encourage

16. in addition

17. activities

18. solve

Spelling

19. planning

20. serving

21. nowadays

22. experience

23. benefit

24. Wu Kai Sha

Spelling

25. knowledge

26. beautiful

27. wish

28. definitely

29. simple

Hot topic watch for Paper 2

Below is a list of topics that are likely to appear in the coming HKDSE English exam.

Hot topic watch for Paper 2

Part A

•When you were riding a cable car in Ocean Park or Ngong Ping 360, it suddenly stopped functioning. Describe how you felt and what happened next.

•A girl said in her blog that she was considering suicide. Describe what you did in order to save her life in your blog.

Hot topic watch for Paper 2

Part A

•Your school library is organizing a Reading Week. You are asked to write a promotional leaflet to encourage schoolmate to take part in this event.

Hot topic watch for Paper 2

Part B

Learning English through Short Stories

•Write a blog entry describing your experience of interviewing a famous storywriter.

•You went to the Hong Kong Book Fair and bought some English books. Write a diary entry describing what you saw there and in what way the books you bought interested you.

Hot topic watch for Paper 2

Part B

Learning English through Sports Communication

•Write an article in your school newspaper inviting classmates to join a new sports club.

•Write a letter to parents persuading them to donate money for improving the school’s sports facilities.

Hot topic watch for Paper 2

Part B

Learning English through Debating

•Write a debate speech arguing whether traditional paper-print textbooks should be replaced by electronic books.

Hot topic watch for Paper 2

Part B

Learning English through Workplace Communication

•Write a blog entry describing the experience of selling goods with classmates at a Lunar New Year Flower Fair.

•Write an email to your friend describing your summer job experience as an office assistant.

Hot topic watch for Paper 2

Part B

Learning English through Social Issues

•Write an article about privacy on social networking sites.

•Write an article discussing how reducing food wastage can contribute to environmental protection.

PAPER 3 (2 HOURS – 30%)

Part A

Filling in missing information e.g. proper names, objectives, flow charts, qualities, effects, attitudes, response

PAPER 3 (2 HOURS – 30%)

Part B

Long tasks: article, letter, speech, report, proposal

e.g. DES-PP-Part B1 Tasks 5-7

Mark scheme: @ task

•Task fulfillment (9 marks)

•Language (5 marks)

•Coherence & Organisation (2 marks)

•Appropriacy (2 marks)

Total mark: 18