DSE English Language:
Forecast of 2015 DSE
Source: Ever Learning Educational Center
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Rundown of talk
Part 1: Recap of 2014 exam
 What to pay attention to
 What to expect in the upcoming exams
Part 2: Hot tips for exam
 What should we expect
Part 3:What to do in coming days?

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Part 1
Recap of 2014 exam
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Recap of 2014 exam
General trends of the public exam
1.A WIDE variety of topics are used in the
official exam.
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2014 Paper 2 Writing
Q4 Some people believe that filming movies
in the city center should not be allowed.
Others support it. Write a letter to the editor of
the Hong Kong Daily giving your opinion.
Provide three reasons to support your point of
view.
Dear Editor,
I am writing to refer to Mary Wong’s article “filming
movies in city center: a nuisance”. In her article,
she stated that the action does more harm than
good since it exacerbated traffic jam in the city.
However, I am writing this letter to give a more
holistic view of the issue and let the readers have
a get a better understanding of the issue.
In her article, Mary started with her own
experience in Tsim Sha Tsui. She was wandering
along the Avenue of Stars where she was blocked
by a flock of tourists since the filming of a movie
was taking place. She was irritated and filed a
complaint to the authority, claiming that the tourist
spot should be reserved to tourists. Therefore, she
is against filming movie in city center. However, I
believe that if we examine the issue more closely,
we may draw a different conclusion.
Recap of 2014 exam
2. Communication of ideas is more
important than grammatical accuracy.
Less emphasis is placed on grammatical accuracy
compared to the old syllabus.
▪ No more MC cloze or proofreading

On the reading paper, for long questions, no marks
will be deducted if a minor grammatical error is
made.

You can be given a high score if your grammatical
errors do not hamper effective communication.

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When can I copy directly from the text?
When you see the words “According to
paragraph x,”.
For other questions, you have to use your own
words.
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2014 HKDSE
“Hello, Winston. Isn’t this the strangest bot? It just shows up one day
and … well, anyway.” Karl licked his lips. “Nine years ago, you applied to
Future Industries. I didn’t want a hotshot like you competing with me, so I
spread the rumor that you were impossible to work with. I’ve felt bad ever
since and I’d like to apologize for doing that. I’m really sorry. I hope you
can forgive me.”
The screen rolled back into the robot.
Winston jumped up. “That Scoundrel!!!”
“Winston!”
11. What is Winston’s first reaction on hearing Karl’s apology?
A. Sadness
B. Anger
C. Fear
D. Pity
12. i) Who says “Winston!”?
His wife
ii) Why?
________________________________________________
Recap of 2014 exam
Some problems encountered by students
Problem 1:
Not enough time to complete the reading and
listening papers
Solutions:
•Do sufficient practice. Time yourself.
•Decide before the date of the exam whether to opt
for Section B1 (easier) or B2 (more difficult).
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Recap of 2014 exam
Problem 2:
Insufficient vocabulary to expand ideas
Solutions:
•Start memorizing phrases instead of single
words
•e.g. happy =
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Recap of 2014 exam
Problem 3:
Mediocre / insufficient ideas, failing to impress
markers
Solution:
•Make up own stories to impress your markers,
especially for writing and speaking (individual
response)
E.g. Many people suffer from depression in Hong Kong. Take
my best friend Amy as an example. Around a year ago, she
could not help crying in class. Because of the stigma of mood
disorder, she first refused to take drugs…
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Part 2
Hot tips for upcoming
exams
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Hot tips for exam
How should we revise for the 2015 exam?
 Revise using “topic-based” notes.
 Divide the topics into different domains.
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Hot tips for exam
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Hot tips for exam
Teenage issue: Many teens lack knowledge
about sex and perform badly in quizzes
related to this topic.
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Hot tips for exam
Teenage issue: Sufficient sex education?
 Important sentences to remember:
▪ In Hong Kong, children’s eyes and ears are shielded by
their doting parents whenever they hear anything
relating to the notorious three-letter taboo word - sex.
▪ Teachers and parents are too shy and embarrassed to
provide adequate sex education, leaving kids in the
dark at a critical developmental stage in their lives.
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Hot tips for 2015 exam
Social issue: The wealth gap is widening.
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Hot tips for 2015 exam
Social issue: Wealth gap
 Important sentences to remember:
▪ Despite Hong Kong’s reputation
as a city of skyscrapers, luxury
cars and swanky malls, around
a tenth of families in the city
live in relative poverty.
▪ There is a tide of public
resentment市民不滿 over a
spate of scandals醜聞 about
collusion between the
government and large
businesses 官商勾結.
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Hot tips for exam
Cultural issue: Notorious Chinese tourists
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Hot tips for exam
Cultural issue: Notorious Chinese tourists
 As the number of Chinese tourists has soared to a worldleading 83 million last year, so has their reputation for
rudeness and objectionable 會引起反對的 behaviour.
 People who have contact with Chinese tourists report
many other pieces of unseemly behaviour including not
flushing toilets, ignoring no smoking signs, flouting 藐視
traffic laws, littering, elbowing 用手肘推開 their way to the
front of lineups, and allowing children to urinate 小便 or
defecate 大便 in public.
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Hot tips for exam
Technological issue:
Is the Internet
improving or
hampering
communication?
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Hot tips for exam
Technological issue: Internet and
communication
 Important sentences to remember:
▪ Many people are drawn to the Internet because they
can gain access to a vast amount of information
through a simple connection.
▪ Since the explosion of the Internet, there has been a
dramatic change in the lives of people all over the
world, especially for those who need to work around
the clock 24小時工作 in front of computer screens.
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Part 3
What to do in coming
days?
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Part 1 Reading
1.You must learn how to tackle questions requiring
your own words.
2.Candidates are expected to use their own words,
rather than copying indiscriminately from the text.
3.You should practise rephrasing and summarizing
skills.
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[1] ‘And you are going—‘
[2] ‘To Bombay.’
[3] ‘Very good, sir. You know that a visa is useless, and that no
passport is required?’
[4] ‘I know it, sir,’ replied Phileas Fogg; ‘but I wish to prove, by your
visa, that I came by Suez.’
Is an official document necessary to go to Bombay?
Explain your answer.
 No. You know that a visa is useless, and that no
passport is required? (don’t copy directly!)
 No. Neither a visa or a passport is necessary.
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Part 2 Writing
1.Flaws in language writing prevents you from
getting higher marks.
2. Recitation of generic sentences should help you
score better marks. You just have to fit in your
points into the generic sentences.
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1.Inappropriate word choice
× If your mouth skill is very good,
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2. Run-on sentences
✗ I was shocked, the last time I saw him, he
told me that he was finding a job.
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General Sentence 1
In recent days, whether to legislate
for … has become the talk of the
town (= a hot topic).
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Generic Sentence 2
Supporters are of the
opinion (= think) that the
legislation would …
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Regulating
protesters
維持社會治安
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In recent days, whether to
legislate for regulating
protesters has become the talk
of the town. Supporters are of
the opinion that the legislation
would maintain the law and
order of our society.
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Part 3 Listening and Integrated Skills
1.For long tasks, you are advised to select only
relevant information to achieve task purpose. You
should never copy indiscriminately.
1.You should manipulate the source texts in
accurate language and style for the target audience.
Pay attention to change of pronouns, tenses and
word form.
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2012 Task 8
Survey on barriers on communication
2012 Task 9
Advice page on body language
* Match the subheadings in the Data File.
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Part 4 Speaking
1.You should listen actively. Try rephrasing what
others have said and build on their forms.
2.If you can’t think of what to say, try to use recited
generic sentences for you.
3. Try to avoid single-word answers.
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✗
Er …
✔
Well … I need some time to give
it some thoughts.
唔…等我諗諗
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✗
拉人落水
I don’t understand.
✔
I am worried that we may not quite
follow you. Could you speak more
slowly? / Could you repeat what you
have said? 我地跟唔到…你可唔可以講慢
D? /你可唔可以講多次?
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Summary: How to optimize your performance
 Focus on topical/issue related revision. Ideas
and vocabulary should be linked.
 Do more practice and time yourself.
(Please complete both B1 and B2 to determine your level)
 Start keeping a vocabulary log using the four
domains, namely teenage, social, cultural and
technological issues.
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Thank you!
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