The Old People living in Hong Kong

(Kar) What do you think about old people living in Hong Kong? Do you think they feel lonely or enjoy their living?

People living in Hong Kong nowadays generally can live longer. However, some elderly do not want to get longevity because of being alone, not strong enough or without money. Some of them are facing hardship as a result of not making both ends meet. They even depend on the old age allowance for supporting other expenses such as rental, bill and medical expenses. Besides, some elderly are rich but in poor health. Worse still, some old people even committed suicide after suffering from lots of illness, they did so maybe they feel painful to live their last years. Moreover, some also feel lonely for lack of communication with their family members and hard to make friends with others.

On the other hand, some retiree enjoy their later life as they had planned an active retirement lifestyle during their working life, so that they can have a quality life for living their last years. They generally can be easy to get satisfaction from achieving their goals which they could not able to do in their early life. For examples, by taking part in voluntary social services to give a hand for the underprivileged, and taking courses for learning whatever courses they are interested in. Also, those who have big smile on their face, this helps them easily communicate and make friends with others.

Old people who have done invaluable services to society should command our respect. We should treat the elderly with love like family members. To make the elderly in need know they are not lonely but cared for. Furthermore, society should pay attention to our senior citizens struggling to live their last years. It is the government’s duty to provide and expand services for the needy elderly for easing the plight of them. If so, life can be meaningful and colourful.

   

Turning Car Stereo Down

                                  

Dear Mr. Wong,

I am May, living next door to you and writing in regard to your car stereo every night.

It was quiet in our neighbourhood in the past. However, my baby girl has recently been awakened at night by your car stereo turned loudly every night. She did not sleep well but crying. This also woke me up and I needed to give my baby girl a hug for calming her down. She stopped crying once your loud speaker was switched off.

Not only my baby girl was annoyed by this noise but also my family. Worse still, I received a call from my kid's class teacher at noon. She complained my son recently did not pay attention and sometimes fell asleep in the class. I think he did as a result of getting a poor sleep at night. 

 

 

Your car stereo caused my family and me inconvenience. I hope this problem can be solved as soon as possible.

I would appreciate it if you could turn your loud speaker down whenever you use it. Thank you for your attention.
 

Best regards,

May

Defective Music CDs

Dear Mr. Hui,

                                        Defective Music CDs

 

I am writing in regard to your letter of defective music CDs (order number 4223-GH-984) sent to your company on 23 September, 2013. Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. I am sorry to hear about the problems you have experienced and wold like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

 

After checking the matter with our production manager, I find that there was a process error in producing the music CDs.

 

Building up an excellent business relationshp with your company, we would be happy to make a refund and compensation for the damage caused to you.

 

I would like to make an appoinment for discussing the details of compensation. Would you please let me know what date is suitable for your schedule?
 

Once again, please accept my apologies for our defective music CDs. I assure you of more quality guranteed goods we supply in the futrue and look forward to serving you in coming years.

 

Yours faithfully

Alice Wong

 

Alice Wong

Marketing Manger

Asking for Advice on Visiting London

Dear Sir/Madam,

Asking for Advice on Visiting London

I am writing to ask for giving me some advice about visiting London. Would you please kindly advise and recommend about acommodation, sight-seeing and transport failities there.

I am coming to Britain to study at a university in Scotland next month. On the way I have a two-day stopover in London and would like to spend this time on sight-seeing. Grabbing this golden chance to know more culture and customs of England, I believe that it can widen my sight duing a short-journey there. However, as a student I have a limited budget on spending, sight-seeing and staying at a hotel.

I would appreciate it if you could give me some suggestions of what way is available but spending less money on visiting such a nice place and provide a guide-book for travelling the capital of England.

Yours faithfully,

Cherrie Lo

Cherrie Lo

Be Late for Returning Books

Dear Mr. Chan,

 

Be Late for Returning Books

I am writing to make an apology for returning books late.

Today is a due day for returning the books, so that I went to the school library for returning them. On the way school, I suddenly received a call from my mother telling me a bad news that my grandmother had been taken seriously ill and was sent to a hospital. She also asked me to immediately go to the hospital. Luckily, my grandmother felt well after some treatment. When leaving the hospital, I hurried up for returning the books but the library had been closed before I reached there. Besides, there will be Chinese New Year holiday tomorrow; I will not go to school until two weeks later.

 

Would you please kindly advise What I should do? I would appreciate it if you could suggest me how to do.

Yours sincerely,

Kitty Wong
Kitty Wong

Keeping Pets

                           

(Kar) Why do many people keep pets? Maybe they feel lonely and dull. Or they want to get joy with pets. It is true that Doctor Pet can often make the sick suffering from serious illness get well again and give them hope as well. The latter, whether they are young children or the elderly, enjoy the moment of playing with doctor pets when they visit them.
 

The advantages of having a pet not only make people relax when they play with their pets but also make them keep a sense of responsibility for pets. Furthermore, it can help those owners to widen their social circles by taking pets to go for a walk in a park or country side. Pets’ owners make friends with others there and to share their experience of keeping pets each other. It is also a good chance for parents to lead their kids to foster a positive attitude and be responsible for pets as well as being kind to animals. They have common topics to talk about and it benefits their family relationship closely.
 

On the other hand, the disadvantages of keeping pets are that Hong Kong is a small place with a large population. It is inconvenient to keep pets such as big dogs in a small flat. There is also not enough room for those dogs to live, which is bad for their health. Moreover, barking dogs make noise pollution. The relationship with neighbours may be turned sour as a result of  barking dogs. Besides, the longevity of pet is shorter than human being. For example, Most dogs usually live before the age of twenty-five. The owners will be so sad once their pets died. Some may even suffer from depression because of missing their pets.

 

In my opinion, once you have chosen a pet, you must do whatever you can in order to keep your pet happy and healthy. You should keep your home clean and treat pets with respect and kindness.

English Summer Exercise 2014 (Ex 56-69)

 

 

English Summer Exercise 2014 (Ex 31-55)

English Summer Exercises 2014 (Ex16-30)

English Summer Exercises 2014 (Ex- 1-15)

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Unforgettable Past Event

 (Kar) My family and I moved from outskirts to city center ten years ago. Everything in the new environment was new and unfamiliar. All of my friends and my happy childhood were gone but I miss them a lot. I feel lonely and helpless.

Having an experience on introducing myself to the whole class, I remember the event forever. It was my first day to go to my new school. I saw all faces of the boys and girls were unfamiliar when first stepped into the classroom. The teacher asked me to introduce myself to my classmates. They busted into laughter because of my strong accent. Being shameful and embarrassed for the laughter, I felt not only my face pale but also my heart palpitated. However, I heard a sweet voice while walking slowly to my seat. I found it was from a girl who was comely and innocent. Her finger was pointing at the vacant seat next to her and said quietly. ”You may sit here beside me, will you?” She friendly smiled to me as like an angel from the paradise. She is the most beautiful girl in the world. The ice in my heart suddenly melted after hearing her words. My eyes were also moist with tears. I thanked the girl with a smile for her kindness and sat down beside her. We made friends since then. Many years have passed but it is still living in my mind.

The life of living in the city is fast-paced. It is hard to catch up even though I have lived in the city center for a decade. Most people living there deal with things merely in terms of economic and sensible way. They are indifferent to people in need but only think of themselves. Besides, there is too much noise in society as a result of widening gap between the rich and the poor. It is disadvantageous for people to live in harmony with others. I think we should be sympathetic, tolerant and considerate for the needy in such a society we live. If we are always ready to help for the underprivileged and live in peace with our neighbors, it can benefit to our neighborhood. If so, life can be more colourful and enjoyable.

A Mechanical Clock

(Kar) In a hot summer afternoon, I was alone at home when I was a six-year-old child. There was a mechanical clock on the desk. Driven by curiosity, I wanted to gain insight into the clock how to work.
I dismantled a lock of the clock and was confident to restore it before my parents returned since I thought the job was easy to do. There were bits of metal on the desk after the clock was dismantled. Having a sense of self-accomplishment, I successfully took the clock apart and learnt the little hands of the clock were driven by the gears. However, I was faced with an insurmountable task of reassembling the clock because it did not work. Those curiously shaped pieces of metal also did not fit anywhere. I was anxious about it. Suddenly, hearing the footsteps of my father, I immediately kept hiding the metal pieces as well as the dead clock, not be noticed.
That evening, my father called me to the desk when I was watching TV. He asked me if I had done anything to the clock that day. I answered that I dismantled it as result of being curious how it worked. My father asked whether I failed to restore it and where all the pieces  were. “Yes, I did.” I replied. I did not know what to do but stood there as a criminal waiting for condemnation. Nevertheless, my father did not punish me but wrapping the bits of metal in a sheet of paper and put the paper parcel into a desk drawer. He softly placed his hand on my shoulder and said that he knew I could not restore it that day, so he would keep those things until I would fix it one day when I was able to.

Six years later, it was about I went to junior school. One afternoon, I found the clock in the drawer and the bits of metal wrapped in a white paper. Trying my best, I repaired the clock with a screwdriver. I spent the whole afternoon on making the clock until it was all right again. Besides, it is still on my desk. I feel my father had preserved not only a clock but also a child’s curious heart for all those years.

An Unforgettable Journey

(Kar) One holiday I went for a trip to Hangchow for visiting my younger sister who studied in a university there.

In a early morning, I took a taxi to the Hong Kong Port Area of the Shenzhen Bay Port. The taxi driver kindly advised me that I had to use a footbridge in the Shenzhen Bay Port before taking another taxi to the airport and should be on my guard at the Shenzhen Port Area where was an unsafe place for a woman alone in such early morning. I thanked for his advice. I not only took more care for my personal belongings to prevent them from being stolen but also paid careful attention to some strangers passing by. After leaving the Shenzhen Bay Port, I took a taxi to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport to fly to Hangchow.

In Hangchow, my sister had an idea of visiting the beautiful West Lake by cycling. I agreed with her. It took an hour for a riding trip to West Lake. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and took lots of photos there. However, having lost our bicycles when having lunch in a restaurant, we were unhappy. My sister asked a waiter for help. He said our bicycles had been placed in a car park next to the restaurant. We thanked a lot for his help. Yet, on the way back home, there was a traffic jam and a suden heavy rain. We were soaked.

When travelling home, I felt quite delighted and excited about the trip. I will never forget that journey because it was my first time riding on those busy roads in China.

My Grandmother

(Kar) I found a portrait of my grandmother in a small box at the bottom of a drawer. On her face in the photo, there was mild smile. Looking at the portrait, I recalled my thoughts of her life many years ago.

My grandmother was from a poor family and received schooling at a girls’ high school. After graduating from the school, she returned home. She wanted to go to college but her parents did not agree with her. However, her will was strong, not to be changed even though she could not achieve her dream.

A couple of years later, her parents arranged her marriage. She moved into my grandfather’s house in the countryside once she got married. After settling down there, she needed to work in the field. Yet, my grandmother did not get along with the women not having any education. She also did not become an artless village woman. She told me of a time when she was unhappy since her pride did not allow her to make friends with those people without any eduation. She spent her last days in a hospital as a result of feeling painful. The worst was that she could not breathe. Although she suffered from a serious illness, she still kept her pride of a woman having higher education even she was in the hospital. My grandmother not only got up early but also groomed her hair neatly. She kept her pride until the last moment.

In my memory, my grandmother is still alive as a woman with higher education. I feel her life was unhappy. Nevertheless, she always prided herself on getting a good education.

A beggar’s smile

(Shirley) I saw an old man dressed in rags in a supermarket nearby my home yesterday. He looked like dirty and was stony-face. Being curious that a beggar should not be allowed to begging money or food neither in the supermarket nor beside the road, I thought the beggar might steal food there.

Walking slowly, the beggar stopped in front of a bread shelf, he hesitated a moment before choosing the cheapest bread, and checked out with a winkled note from his pocket. The shop assistants stared prudently at him. There was a woman taking a three-year-old boy in front of the beggar in the queue. The boy looked the beggar curiously with no scorn and ridicule in his eyes. The beggar responded to the boy’s look with a smile and showed the boy his funny face. The little boy chuckled but his mother was ashamed and embarrassed to carry the boy on her arms and took a step forward. The smile on the beggar’s face disappeared immediately when he saw this.  However, a second later, the boy put a red hat printed with a big M on the beggar’s head and shouted happily. “Give you, give you!’ He shook the beggar’s hand and said goodbye to him. The beggar stood in amazement. Touching the beautiful hat for a long time, he smiled again. Everyone in the store saw it and smiled toward the beggar at the bottom of their heats. The whole store was brighter. I was deeply touched by it.

Many years have passed, but the beggar’s smile is still living in my eyes. I was really moved by it. I think, people living in the modern world should not measure everything with money or only think of themselves. They should care not only about hunger, poverty, other people and their feeling but also concern people in poverty. We help people in need not just by giving them money but with a kind heart and love. In my opinion, money cannot always make happiness but love can always make broken heart strength.

An Unforgotten Experience

 (Kate) Smartphones are nowadays popular with users. The former is convenient for some users developing their social networks through using the smartphones’ apparatus such as WhatsApp, Facebook as well as WeChat. Those people can surf the Net whenever they can. For examples, netizens can read news on their smartphones. They need not to spend money on buying newspapers. They can also read maps on theirs. However, hikers once are lost in the countryside, they cannot surf the net reading the smartphone maps if there is no mobile network coverage. I had an experience of losing in the countryside.
I went hiking with my friend, Simon, last year. He had asked me to take a map and compass for hiking but I did not. I thought I could read the maps on my iPhone instead. It was fine that morning. There are lots of big and tall trees standing on either the left or the right of the paths everywhere in the countryside. We were chatting and walking slowly on the paths, listening to the  singing of birds in the trees and taking photos, including colourful flowers, grassy-green hills and beautiful butterflies resting on leaves. We were relaxed and enjoyed such nice scenery there. Nevertheless, the blue sky suddenly turned dark and was covered with thick black clouds when we were having lunch sitting on a big mushroom-shaped rock. Running quickly under a heavy rain, we got soaked. Luckily, we found a pavilion nearby and took a rest. The weather was awful in that afternoon and it was wet and foggy. Seeing around the corner that was fuzzy, not clear at all, we lost. I surfed the net for reading the map on my iPhone but there was not any mobile network coverage. Also, I could not call the police for rescue team. The worst was that we shouted loudly for help but getting no answers. Being frightened, we waited for a long time before meeting a couple of hikers passing by. Finally, we followed them getting downhill.

Although smartphones are useful and convenient for users, they do not work in areas where there are out of network coverage. If the area where, I went hiking, had had mobile network coverage, I would not have lost. I have learnt my lesson and taken the map and compass for hiking since then.

A Picnic On The Beach

(Kar) I had a picnic with my friends, Margaret and Simon, last Sunday. The location of the picnic was Repulse Bay Beach. We went there by taking a bus route 6.

The beach was swarming with tourists. Some people were lying under beach umbrellas, some were swimming, and some went surfing and scuba diving. Finding out a vacant place under a big tree by the ocean, Simon immediately put a plastic mat lying on the sand. I sat under the tree and looked around. It was fine. The sun was shining, the light blue sky was covered thick lumpy and round shaped white clouds, and the sound of waves breaking on the rocks was great. The scenery looked like a pretty picture. Occasionally, a breeze blowing through the trees made me be comfortable. Oh! It was wonderful. Suddenly, I heard a child crying behind me. Driven by curiosity, looking behind, I saw a girl, with tears in her eyes, saying to her mother that the sand castles she made were destroyed by a naughty boy. Her mother gave her a hug and said with a smile that they could make another one again and asked her did not mind about that matter. The girl clapped her hands and smiled. She is cute and charming.

Margaret put the plastic containers of food on the mat. There were all kinds of food for picnic, including fried chicken wings, sandwiches, fish balls, crackers, soft drinks, salad and fruit. We enjoyed those delicious food a lot. After picnic, we played Frisbee-sand, swam in the ocean and strolled leisurely on the beach. Also, we took lots of pictures of the views such as ocean waves, boats and mountains by the beautiful seashore. One of the highlights of the trip was that we watched sunset going down and the sky was covered with red clouds. It was fantastic and was my first time to see such beautiful sunset. I was excited.

We spent eight hours on the picnic and it broke up at 7:00pm. I was tired when coming back home but enjoying the happy moment during the picnic. The trip was amazing and we had a good day there.

A story retold 2/2

A story retold 1/2

Cooking With Heart

(Kar) I watched a live broadcast cookery programme on TV last Sunday. The performer is the chef of the Happy Restaurant, Billy Wong, cooking a dish of fried rice with seafood. He is also one of the Hong Kong’s best-known chefs. There are almost often lots of customers lining up outside the restaurant for tasting delicious dishes prepared by Billy. Luckily, I had a golden chance watching his presentation on the broadcast. 

 There were a variety of ingredients, including rice, eggs, hodgepodge, prawns, squid, fish-finger and spring onion. Billy showed the audience how to cook a dish of fried rice. First, the chef put a little bit oil into the pan when it was heated. Then, he put some stirred eggs to sauté for a second and added the rice to stir-fry until it turned to be golden. Next, to stir hodgepodge and seafood into the golden rice and fried until all ingredients were fully mixed. At last, added a spoonful of salt and spring onion together. The fried rice with seafood was made. It was colourful and nice. The dish made me slobber.

 The host asked Billy to share his experience with the audience how to do to be a successful chef. He answered he had a passion for cooking. Cooking with heart, he enjoyed the moment in the kitchen for cooking whatever dishes he cooked. Billy said he frequently practised since he wanted to have his dream come true. The chef never gave up whenever he faced hardship. He added if people did what they liked to do, they would be confident and be more likely success.

I fully agree with Billy’s viewpoint that we should have a positive attitude towards the goal we set. If we can make an effort to do everything, we may get a sense of achievement every time. Having an idea of cooking the fried rice , I should follow step by step the cooking process by myself. Hope that I can be successful. Never give up!

Contrast Writing

Service Of The Park

To: Mr. Chris Chan, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Amusement Park
From: Mary Wong, the Managing Director of the Hong Kong Amusement Park
Date: 16 April 2014
Subject: Service Of The Park

1. Introduction
I am writing in response to your request for a report on the service of the Park. In addition, I have included some recommendations for improvement.

2. Findings
On 1 April 2014, a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather the opinions of customers about the service of the Park. 500 questionnaires were sent out to the customers, of which 380 were returned. Also, a site visit was made to three theme parks from 7 to 11 April 2014.The findings are presented as follows:
A: Questionnaire
1)   15 percent of the customers remarked that they had visited the park once this year, 65 percent had done twice and the other 20 percent more than twice.
2)   70 percent of those who commented that the admission fee was expensive because there were no discounts for students. 55 percent of them claimed that the washrooms were inadequate since there were two washrooms in the park. One-third revealed that there was a lack of cartoon characters as there were three cartoon characters in it. Two-fifths opined that there were too many visitors in the park because there were long queues everywhere. A quarter of those who reported that the restaurants were not enough since there was only one restaurant.

B: Site Visit
Three theme parks were visited. Below are the findings:
1)   The customers revealed that the parade was fantastic as the staff were well-trained.
2)   They commented that the area was small since the park could contain only three hundred visitors.
3)   The customers complained that the price was too high as the price was higher than that of the other theme parks.

3. Conclusion
To conclude, the majority of the customers were dissatisfied with the service of the park. Therefore, arrangements should be made for improvement.

4. Recommendations
To improve the service of the park, I would like to make the following recommendations for your consideration.
1)  There should be discounts for students.
2)  The washrooms should be expanded.
3)  The cartoon characters should be increased.
4)  The quantity of visitors should be appropriate.
5)  There should be more restaurants.
6)  The area should be extended.
7)  The price should be lower.

I would appreciate it if the above recommendations could be accepted.

Mary Wong
Mary Wong
the Managing Director
of the Hong Kong Amusement Park

Design Of All The Train Compartments

 To: Mr. Samuel Peterson, the Chief Executive Officer of the MTR
From: Charles Wong, the Public Relations Officer of the MTR
Date: 10 April 2014
Subject: Design Of All The Train Compartments

1. Introduction
I am writing in response to your request for a report on the design of all the train compartments. In addition, I have included some recommendations for improvement.

2. Findings
In March 2014, a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather the opinions of customers about the design of all the train compartments. 2000 questionnaires were sent out to the customers, of which 1800 were returned. Also, a site visit was made to two compartments in mid-March 2014.The findings are presented as follows:
A: Questionnaire
1)        10 percent of the customers remarked that they took the MTR once a week while 14 percent took it twice a week, and 16 percent took the MTR daily..
2)        Four- fifths of those who claimed the trains were fast and stable; the other 70 percent reported the fare was reasonable.
3)       Three quarters of them opined that the train compartments were too bright because there were too many lights in the train compartments. Six in ten revealed that the ventilation was poor as it was hot and stuffy in summer while 40% of the customers commented the seats were uncomfortable since they were too hard to sit. A quarter complained the train compartments were noisy when the trains were travelling at  high speed because they could not talk to each other.
4)        Four – fifths of the customers commented that they enjoyed taking the MTR but the other 20% did not.

B: Site Visit
Two train compartments were studied. Below are some of the problems found:
1)   The customers resealed that the floor was slippery because it was not dried.
2)   They opined that the TV system was too noisy as it was not turned down.
3)   The customers complained that route maps were not user friendly since they were too difficult to understand.

3. Conclusion
To conclude, the majority of the customers were satisfied with the design of all the train compartments. However, arrangements should be made for improvement.

4. Recommendations
To improve the design of all the train compartments, I would like to make the following recommendations for your consideration.
1)  There should be appropriate lights in the train compartments.
2)  The ventilation system should be improved.
3)  The seats in the train compartments should be soft.
4)  The train compartments should make less noise when the trains are travelling at high speed
5)  The floor should be dried.
6)  The TV system should be turned down.
7)  There should be clear route maps in the train compartments

I would appreciate it if the above recommendations could be accepted.

Charles Wong
Charles Wong
the Public Relations Officer
of the MTR

Dream lover is kind of a great career choice

(The Standard 17 April 2014) Time is a funny thing. Looking forward, it seems like an infinitely long and blank piece of canvas.

 

But looking back, it seems like a collapsed accordion book, and I can only recall brief flashes of moments piled one on top of the other, compressed into barely an inch of Post-it notes.

That is what the past four years of college feels like - short.

Nearing the end of this chapter of my life, I am - like many other graduates - excited to be starting the next chapter of chasing my dreams, without having to be stuck to a class schedule: desperately, optimistically, naively perhaps.

It was unexpected, but certainly pleasant though, for me to have come across writer George Saunders' convocation speech for Syracus University's graduating class from a year ago.

 

Rather than focusing on encouraging students to pursue their dreams and goals, he chose to talk about a different kind of achievement instead - kindness.

 

Even the speaker mentions he doesn't know how to put it in a less corny way, but when he thinks about regrets in life, it's always when he failed on acts of kindness.

Our generation is brought up anxious to succeed. But accomplishments are unreliable, for success is like a mountain that keeps growing as you hike it, and there's the very real danger that succeeding will take up your whole life, while the big questions go untended.

The big question he raised is how much we care about people who we come across. From his personal experience, he also says as we get older, we come to see how useless it is to be selfish - how illogical, really.

We come to love other people and are thereby counter- instructed in our own centrality. We get our butts kicked by real life, and people come to our defense, to help us, and we learn that we're not separate, nor do we want to be.

If someone asks me what I really want to be good at, I might say a designer, a writer, an artist. But in truth, I just want to be a really great lover, and make that a lifelong career.

It sounds like a vague concept, but the payback is very much concrete - both emotionally and practically. Art student Gloria Yu is a designer, writer and a citizen of the world.

Concrete results from our creativity

 

(The Standard  10 April 2014) When I think of young girls in the fashion industry, my mind often jumps to lanky 15-year-old models skipping down the runways far from their home countries.

 

But I didn't forget one familiar face who had a fascinatingly early start at the age of 11 - Tavi Gevinson.

She came to the attention of the world when she started her blog Style Rookie in 2008, where she would post pictures of outfits she put together and write commentaries on fashion trends, drawing 30,000 visitors a day.

Her father did not show much interest in her hobby until she asked if she could be interviewed by The New York Times on an article about young bloggers.

 

Her early success was not met without criticism though - some thought she had help from her mother, and fashion editors doubted her credibility, or, as one put it, her huge bow that blocked her view of the runway in fashion week. Many wondered if her success would last.

 

It has certainly lasted up to today. In 2011, she decided to stop writing primarily about fashion, and at age 15 started the online magazine Rookie, which is mainly written by teenage girls and mixes fashion with other areas of concern.

 

What is inspiring about this young woman is not only her personal talent, but also the community that has recognized, nurtured and supported it to grow.

 

The Tavi story is a true inspiration to young people today. Even without many resources, she was empowered by being willing to put her work out there and gather like-minded young people.

To me, that is a story of true creativity. One often associates the word simply with the idea of creating something in the design or artistic field.

 

But I personally see creativity as the act of finding solutions, sometimes unexpected and unprecedented ones, to problems. It

spans every field and could happen any time in anyone's life.

 

In this case, creativity happens with how ideas are expressed, how human connections are made, how one is self-motivated. These things seem vague and abstract - but they result in concrete outcomes, and beautiful ones at times are created.

So off you go, start getting creative.

 

Art student Gloria Yu is a designer, writer and a citizen of the world.

Waste pilot plan unveiled

 

(The Standard P.4 8 April 2014) Some 40,000 residents at seven public and private housing estates will take part in a waste charging pilot scheme.

 

Three methods - charging according to garbage bags per household, by weight, or volume disposed of by the whole building - will be tested.

The trial run will begin from June and last for six months.

"This is only our first step to practice charging for solid waste. After gathering data and evaluating the effectiveness of the scheme, it will be expanded to other estates," Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing said.

The scheme includes residents paying HK$0.50-HK$1.50 for garbage bags from 0.5 kilogram to 1.5kg, or each block of residents sharing the cost of HK$500 per tonne or HK$60 per bucket of waste.

 

The costs are based on what is being charged in Taipei city.

But in the pilot scheme, residents will not be charged by the volume and weight- based method, and those who use the garbage bags will be refunded the cost of the bags.

 

Amoy Gardens is one of the participating estates, with four blocks participating, said Amoy Gardens Owners' Joint Committee chairman Wilson Yip Hing-kwo.

 

A woman living at Amoy Gardens said the pilot scheme will change the way she handles waste.

"We'll separate those which can be recycled, such as the newspapers before throwing them into recycle bins," she said.

But another resident believes the pilot will not work.

"I don't think others will follow the scheme ... most residents would be dissatisfied."

The other estates are Chun Seen Mei Chuen in Kowloon City, Kwong Tin Estate and Tak Tin Estate in Lam Tin, Island Resort in Siu Sai Wan and The Orchards in Quarry Bay and Chai Wan Estate.

 

Kelly Ip

 

Daily Operation

 

To: Mr. Oscar Wong, the Chief Executive Officer of the Wide Vision Tutorial Centre

From: Richard Leung, the Academic Director of the Wide Vision Tutorial Centre

Date: 1 April 2014

Subject: Daily Operation

 

1.      Introduction

I am writing in response to your request for a report on the daily operation. In addition, I have included some recommendations for improvement.

 

2.      Findings

In March 2014, a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather the opinions of customers about the daily operation. 1000 questionnaires were sent out to the customers, of which 865 were returned. Also, a site visit was made to all Wide Vision Tutorial Centres in mid-March 2014.The findings are presented as follows:

A: Questionnaire

1)      One-fifth, 20% of the customers remarked that they had been studying in the Wide Vision Tutorial Centre for more than a year. Seven out of ten, 70% of them reported that they had been studying in the Wide Vision Tutorial Centre for half a year. A few, 10% of the customers claimed that they had been studying in the Wide Vision Tutorial Centre for one month.

2)      Two-fifths, 40% of the customers commented that the tutors were professional and stylish. Half, 50% of them claimed that the promotion was persuasive and attractive. Four-fifths, 80% of the customers opined that the teaching equipment was sufficient.

3)      The majority, 90% of the customers revealed that the class size was too big because there were 80 students per class. Nearly two thirds, 65% of them reported the assignments were not enough as there were only two assignments per week. Some, 45% of the customers complained that the promotion staff were impolite since they were unwilling to answer customers’ questions. Three in ten, 30% of them commented that the school fee was too high because the school fee was higher than that of the other tutorial centres.

4)      Three quarters, 75% of the customers claimed that they enjoyed studying in the Wide Vision Tutorial Centre. One-fourth, 25% of them remarked that they did not enjoy studying in the Wide Vision Tutorial Centre.

 

B: Centre Visit

All Wide Vision Tutorial Centres were visited. Below are the findings.

1)      The customers opined that the classrooms and toilets of Mong Kok Centre were unhygienic because they were cleaned only once per week.

2)      The customers reported that the interior design of Tuen Man Centre was old- fashioned as it had not been redecorated for over 10 years.

3)      The customers complained that in Yuen Long Centre some teachers arrived late for 10 minutes since they lived far away from the Center..

 

3. Conclusion

To conclude, the majority of the customers were satisfied with the daily operation. However, arrangements should be made for improvement.

 

4. Recommendations

To improve the daily operation, I would like to make the following recommendations for your consideration.

1)      The class size should be appropriate.

2)      There should be more assignments per week.

3)      The promotion staff should be friendly to customers.

4)      The school fee should be lower.

5)      The classrooms and toilets of Mong Kok Centre should be cleaned every day.

6)       The interior design of Tuen Mun Centre should be redecorated.

7)       The teachers’ attendance should improve.

 

I would appreciate it if the above recommendations could be accepted.

 

Richard Leung

Richard Leung

The Academic Director of the

Wide Vision Tutorial Centre