2008 HKCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATION

1. 2008 HKCEENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATION

2. 2007 HKCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATION

3. PAPER 1 • Part A Reading and Part B Writing are based on the SAME theme (e.g. School life, Sport, Entertainment, Teenage problems, etc.)

4. Paper 1A Reading • Question types: - M. C. items - short questions - extended open-ended questions *Dictionary skills will be tested as well

5. Sources of reading materials: - newspapers - magazines - websites - short stories * All materials will be based on the same theme - government publications promotional materials Paper 1A Reading

6. Paper 1B Writing • 2 Writing tasks: - Task 1 – guided (100 – 150 words) (You may be required to do an integrated proofreading task as well.) - Task 2 – more open-ended (200 – 250 words)

7. - filling in forms (in Task 1 only) - picture composition - story - letter (personal/formal) - descriptive essay - argumentative essay (one-sided/two-sided) - persuasive article - expository article - problem-solution essay - proposal - speech - diary entry Paper 1B Writing – Text types

8. Paper 1B Writing • Task 1 - Complete the task based on the information given: - the situation - the purpose of writing - relevant information (e.g. pictures, tables, invitation cards, letters of request /complaint, etc.) • Task 2 - Choose ONE topic out of two to write

9. Paper 2 Listening and Integrated Skills • Complete a number of tasks based on the SAME theme: - Listening (e.g. filling in forms, taking messages, writing short notes, completing floor plans/flow charts, /maps, labelling, etc.)

10. Paper 2 Listening and Integrated Skills - Reading and Writing (interpret and integraterelevant information in the Data File and the listening material to complete the writing tasks) * You are required to produce at least one piece of writing (100 – 200 words)

11. Paper 3 Speaking • Part A Group Discussion (Preparation: 5 min.; Discussion: 6 min. for a group of four / 5 min. for a group of three) • Part B Individual response (1 min.) – The question will be related to Part A

12. Paper 3 SpeakingPart A Group discussion • Preparation (5 minutes) - the discussion task and prompts are given in the exam paper - jot down some points for the discussion (You CANNOT write anything during the discussion)

13. Paper 3 SpeakingPart A Group discussion • Discussion (6 minutes) - You can refer to (NOT read from) your notes(*Make eye contact with your audience) - Be sure that you are working on the discussion task - Effective communication is the emphasis of assessment

14. Paper 3 SpeakingPart B Individual response (1 min.) • A question (very similar to Part A) will be asked and you need to do one of the following tasks: - making and justifying a choice - deciding on and explaining a course of action - arguing for/against a position * If there is time left, the examiner may ask a second question or a follow-up question.

15. School-based Assessment (SBA) • What is SBA? - Two assessments (by your English teacher) of your oral performance based on what you have read/viewed in S.4 and S.5 - Two marks will be reported to the HKEAA (i.e. 7.5% x 2 = 15% of the total mark for HKCE Eng. Lang.Exam) *Your marks will be adjusted according to your result in Paper 3 Speaking by HKEAA.

16. SBA – Categories of Texts • Print Fiction (e.g. science fiction, adventure, romance, horror) • Print Non-fiction (e.g. science books, biographies) • Non-print Fiction (e.g. films) • Non-print Non-fiction (e.g. documentaries) * You need to read/view THREEtypes of texts during S.4 and S.5 * Comics and newspapers do NOT count as reading texts.

17. SBA – Forms of Assessment • Individual presentation - Giving an oral presentation on what you have read/viewed (you can refer to your own written comments and reflections) - Responding to the teacher’s questions about the text that you have read/viewed *Your performance will be videotaped.

18. SBA – Forms of Assessment • Group interaction - Exchanging ideas with classmates - Responding to the teacher’s questions about the text that you have read/viewed *Your performance will be videotaped as well.

19. SBA in S.4 • Read/view TWO texts and write some personal comments and reflections in Log Book • Form of assessment: Individual Presentation (IP) OR Group Interaction (GI) • You will be assessed at least once • One mark (7.5%) will be reportedto the HKEAA

20. SBA in S.5 • Read/view ONE text and and write some personal comments and reflections in Log Book • Form of assessment: Individual Presentation (IP) OR Group Interaction (GI) • You will be assessed at least once • One mark (7.5%) will be reported to the HKEAA

21. How can you prepare for the exam? • Read (English storybooks, newspapers) • Listen (English cartoons, movies, songs, news reports) • Speak (Be brave! Make use of every chance to practise your oral English) • Check - Look words up in the dictionary (Learn the usage of words)

22. Recommended websites • SBA Materials – Presentation skills, Recommended list of books and films from HKEAA http://www.hkedcity.net/article/project_sba_eng_present/main • English Campus Homepage http://www.hkedcity.net/english

23. Recommended websites • Films http://www.hkedcity.net/english/watch/film • EC Highlights – about current affairs http://ec.hkedcity.net/ec-highlights • Youth Speak II – videos of teenage issues, with notes and exercises http://ec.hkedcity.net/ys2

24. Recommended websites • Read – English books with trial reading and audio clips http://ec.hkedcity.net/library • Play – online English learning games http://ec.hkedcity.net/play • Create – read and submit different types of creative English writing by students http://ec.hkedcity.net/create