ENGLE100TMAfile2011

教育及語文學院 School of Education and Languages

ENGL E100 English for Effective Communication I

October 2011 presentation

ASSIGNMENT FILE

Introduction

The OUHK uses assignments during the course, together with an examination, to assess your understanding of the material covered in the course and your ability to apply what you have learned. However, these assignments are not only for assessment purposes; they have been carefully designed to help you learn. They are an integral part of the course work.

Your tutor will grade and comment on your work. By means of these comments, he/she will help you overcome problems you may have with the course work. These tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) are a way to give you individual help, so please take advantage of this opportunity.

Although the assignments must be your own work, you can ask your tutor for assistance and guidance.

The University Marking Scale

The pass mark for each of the assignments and for the examination is 40%. The University has designed the following Marking Scale for grading both your assignments and the examination.

Grade Score range

A 85–100

A- 77–84

B+ 70–76

B 62–69

B- 55–61

C+ 47–54

C 40–46

F Below 40

How your assignments will be marked

You will receive a mark out of 100 for each assignment in accordance with the University Marking Scale. This means that when you get 40 marks or above you have passed an assignment. There are five tutor-marked assignments in this course. Each of the TMAs (1–5) has a weighting of 10%, and the best four of these five assignments will constitute 40% of the total course grade. The final examination is worth 60%. You must pass both the continuous assessment component (your assignments) and the examination to gain a pass in the course.

For details of the course assessment, please refer to the Course Guide and your Student Handbook.

Writing your assignments

Your tutor will discuss the requirements for your assignments with you in tutorials.

In all the assignments, you should apply what you have learned. You should present your ideas clearly and logically, and also check your work carefully to ensure grammatical and

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mechanical accuracy. Finally, you should try to complete your assignments within the given word limits.

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How to submit assignments

Please follow these guidelines when submitting your assignments:

1 You must submit your assignments in English.

2 Use one side of the paper only.

3 Leave wide margins for your tutor’s comments.

4 Put your name and student number on each page.

5 Both hand-written and typed assignments are acceptable. If you write, please do so legibly.

6 Number your pages and staple them together.

7 Make sure your assignments are accompanied by a tutor-marked assignment (TMA)form.

8 Fill in all details clearly on the TMA form. The OUHK Registry staff cannot record your grade for an assignment without your name and student number, and cannot return a graded assignment to you without your address. If your name or address cannot be read, it may not be possible to get your marked assignment back to you safely.

9 Put the correct postage on the envelope that contains an assignment. Inadequate postage results in assignments not being delivered to tutors. They must then collect the assignments from the post office, which is very inconvenient.

10 Keep a photocopy of your assignments or a copy on computer disk. Assignments do sometimes go astray in the post. The OUHK takes no responsibility for lost assignments.

11 For the ‘Speaking’ questions, you should record your answers EITHER to a MP3 file OR on an audio CD that can be played on ‘Windows Media Player’ or ‘RealOne Player’. Also, make sure you write your student number, group number and name on the label when you submit a CD. Listen to the MP3 file or CD and check for sound quality before you submit it.

12 Post your assignments in time to reach your tutor on or before the due dates.

Acknowledgement of receipt of assignments

When your tutor receives an assignment you have submitted, he/she will send an acknowledgement email. You should check your email account regularly to see if it has arrived. If no acknowledgement email has been received three working days after the assignment was submitted, you should immediately contact the tutor to ensure that it has not been lost.

If you don’t have regular access to the Internet, you can opt instead to post a stamped self-addressed Assignment Acknowledgement Card together with the assignment. If the

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Assignment Acknowledgement Card has not been returned by your tutor within five working days, you should contact him/her by telephone.

Due dates for assignments

The due date for submission is clearly indicated at the beginning of each assignment. You must make sure that your assignments reach your tutor on or before the due date. If you have special reasons for not being able to submit an assignment on time, you must ask permission for late submission (within seven days) from your tutor before the due date. If you intend to ask for an 8 to 21 day extension, you must seek special approval from the Course Coordinator before or immediately after the due date. Please note that late TMAs are not automatically accepted. However, for the last assignment, you cannot apply for late submission from the tutor. Read through the section which outlines the University’s policy on late submission of assignments in your Student Handbook.

Cheating and plagiarism

Although your tutor will discuss the ‘Assignment Guidelines’ for each assignment with you, and you can discuss with other students how you should tackle the question, you should never write your assignments in collaboration with others. When you are writing an assignment, you are required to work alone. Of course, you must never copy or send in another student’s work.

Similarly, when you are quoting or using ideas from books or articles, you must give acknowledgements; otherwise, you are committing plagiarism, which is not acceptable. For details on how you should acknowledge your sources in TMAs, read the document Academic Writing: acknowledging your sources.

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TMA1

Due date: 26 November 2011

Weighting: 10% of total course score

This assignment asks you to carry out two tasks, both related to the sections on reading and writing in Units 1 and 2.

Part 1 (50 marks): Q1=12 marks/Q2=28 marks/Q3=10 marks

Read the extract Human communication, and then complete the following tasks.

1 Note down an example of each of the following from the text:

One sentence which contains a modal verb that expresses possibility One sentence which includes an exemplification One sentence which contains a noun clause One sentence which contains an adjective clause One sentence which contains an adverbial clause of condition One sentence which contains an adverbial clause of result.

2 Give an outline of the text Human communication in about 350 words. It should include the central ideas of the article, the main ideas of the paragraphs and their individual major supporting ideas. You should try to use your own words as far as possible, and write in complete sentences. There is no need to include any of the specific examples given in the article. Your outline should have the following general structure (which includes some possible sub-headings for the development section).

a Introduction

b Development

1 The first essential characteristic2 The second essential characteristic 3 The third essential characteristic4 The fourth essential characteristic5 The fifth essential characteristic6 The sixth essential characteristic

c Closing

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Human Communication

Human communication can be defined as a symbolic process whereby meaning is shared and negotiated. In other words, communication occurs whenever someone attributes meaning to another’s words or actions. In addition, communication is dynamic, may be unintentional, and is receiver-oriented. In the following, we will examine more closely the essential characteristics of human communication.

First, communication is symbolic. That is, the words we speak and the gestures we make have no meaning in themselves; rather, they achieve significance only because people agree, at least to some extent, on their meaning. When we use symbols, such as words or gestures, to communicate, we assume that the other person shares our symbol system. If we tell someone to “sit down,” we assume that the individual knows what these two words (symbols) mean. Also, these symbolic meanings are conveyed both verbally and nonverbally. Thousands of nonverbal behaviors – gestures, postures, eye movements, facial expressions, and so on – involve shared meaning.

Second, communication is a process involving several components: people who are communicating, a message that is being communicated (verbal or non-verbal), a channel through which the communication takes place, and a context. People communicating can be thought of as senders and receivers – they are sending and receiving messages. However, communication does not involve tossing “message balls” back and forth, such that one person sends a single message and the other person receives it. Rather, it is more akin to clicking on a website and being bombarded by many different messages at once.

Third, communication involves sharing and negotiating meaning. People have to agree on the meaning of a particular message, but to make things more complicated, each message often has more than one meaning. For example, the message “I love you” may mean, “I feel guilty about what I did last night without you,” “l need you to do me a favor,” “l have a good time when I’m with you,” or “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” When we communicate, we assume that the other person takes the meaning that we intend. But for individuals from different cultural backgrounds and experiences, this assumption may be wrong and may lead to misunderstanding and a lack of shared meaning. Often, we have to try harder in intercultural communication to make sure that meaning is truly shared.

Fourth, communication is dynamic. This means that communication is not a single event but is ongoing, so that communicators are at once both senders and receivers. For example, when a teacher walks into the classroom, even before she starts speaking, communication messages are flying all around. The students are looking at her and interpreting her nonverbal messages: Do her attire, her bearing, her facial expressions, and her eye movements suggest that she will be a good teacher? A hard teacher? Someone who is easy to talk with? The teacher in turn is interpreting the nonverbal messages of the students: Are they too quiet? Do they look interested? Disruptive? When we are communicating with another person, we take in messages through our senses of sight, smell, and hearing – and these messages do not happen one at a time, but rather simultaneously. When we are communicating, we are creating, maintaining, or sharing meaning. This implies that people are actively involved in the communication process.

Fifth, communication does not have to be intentional. Some of the most important (and sometimes disastrous) communication occurs without the sender knowing a particular message has been sent. During business negotiations, an American businessman in Saudi Arabia sat across from his Saudi host showing the soles of his feet (an insult in Saudi society), inquired about the health of his wife (an inappropriate topic), and turned down the offer of tea (a rude act). Because of this triple insult, the business deal was never completed, although no insult was intended. The American returned home wondering what went wrong.

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Finally communication is receiver-oriented. Ultimately, it is the person who assigns meaning who determines the outcome of the communication situation. That is, the Saudi businessman who misinterpreted the Americans messages determined the outcome of the interaction – he never signed the contract. It didn’t matter that the American didn’t intend this outcome. Similarly, if someone interprets your messages as prejudicial or sexist or negative, those interpretations have much more influence over future interactions than does your intended meaning. What can you do when people interpret your communication in ways you don’t intend? To check whether others are understanding you, you can paraphrase or ask questions (“What did you think I meant?”), or you can observe closely to see if others are giving nonverbal cues that they are misinterpreting your messages.

Human communication is a complex phenomenon which has six major characteristics. It is a symbolic and dynamic process consisting of several components, having the basic function of sharing and negotiating meaning. It is receiver-oriented, although it may be unintentional.

(Adapted from JN Martin & TK Nakayama, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 2011, pp. 38–40.)

3 Summarize in about 210 words the following text on the achievements of Steve Jobs, the former CEO of the Apple company.

Steve Jobs’ massive tech legacy

There are only a few people of whom it could be said that they had helped to change the

entire world. Steve Jobs, who passed away on 5 Oct 2011, would probably not have claimed

this of himself. But the truth is that his numerous Apple products have impacted the work,

home and play lives of hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. As CEO, he quickly

turned the Apple company around from one that was losing money and seemed old-

fashioned to one that has been massively profitable in the last decade. Such an achievement

relied on his placing Apple at the leading edge in developing innovative products

throughout this time.

Jobs helped to found Apple in 1976 but left it amid disputes in 1985. He returned to lead the company as its CEO in 1997, and since then, he had engineered a list of innovations which included: the revival of the Mac PC platform with the iMac; the launch of the iPod music player line; the introduction of iTunes; the release of the iPhone and most recently the launch of the iPad. Jobs and the team at Apple stuck to the company’s most famous marketing slogan, “Think Different”. The result is that other companies have been struggling to catch up to create products in new business areas that Apple basically created all by itself.

In reviving the Mac PC platform, Jobs wanted to make a PC that looked more stylish than and different from the normal Windows-based beige PC box. The result was the iMac – a stylish looking all-in-one PC that could be ordered in one of several different colors. It was a small step but it worked to make Apple trendy again.

Later Jobs began to realize that the era of playing music on compact disk players was looking archaic, as PC hard drives got bigger and disk drives could be used to rip songs from CDs which could be played on PCs. The result was the concept that became the iPod – a portable music player that stored tracks on a small hard drive. Suddenly people could have their entire music collection on a small device that could be taken anywhere.

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The launch of the iTunes music service, where people could download not just full albums but individual songs, revolutionized the music industry and opened it up for independent

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bands and singers who otherwise would not have had access to national exposure.

The 2007 launch of the iPhone gave Apple yet another new audience and a new business model. While the phone had flaws in the touch screen interface, the download service provided by Apple Store was years ahead of what other phone makers were creating. Even today, as other smartphone makers create products that match or even exceed the iPhone, people still want to get their hands on the next version of the device.

The launch of iPad in 2010 was made fun of by some people who called it just a “really big iPhone”. But Jobs and Apple knew that the iPad was much more than that, as it functioned like a wireless, portable personal computer. The tablet PC device is already taking market share away from notebook makers and, like the iPod and iPhone before it, has also led to a boatload of imitators that haven’t yet been able to come close to the iPad’s success.

As a result of all these successful innovations, Apple is now one of the biggest publicly traded companies in the world. When Jobs came in as CEO again in 1997, it was bleeding money; now Apple has a war chest of tens of billions of dollars.

(Adapted from http://www.neowin.net/news/editorial-steve-jobs-massive-tech-legacy, 25 August 2011.)

Part 2 (50 marks)

“Love Ideas, Love Hong Kong” is the first programme of the public philanthropic campaign “Love Hong Kong Your Way!”, which was initiated by the Li Ka Shing Foundation to improve the community. The programme is internet-based and offers opportunities for Hong Kong residents to obtain funding for their innovative projects which should accomplish one or more of the following objectives: (i) stimulate social participation and creative learning; (ii) encourage care for others and a giving culture; (iii) better the lives of Hong Kong people. The Foundation has been inviting the public to submit project proposals. Individuals may ask for up to HK$25,000 in grants, while educational groups and charities can seek up to HK$300,000. Participants can submit their project proposals through an online platform. Projects receiving the most votes will be awarded appropriate grants by the Foundation. Some proposals already posted on the platform include delivering gifts to mainland children whose parents are living and working in Hong Kong, enlisting senior citizens to help find activities for single elderly people, and helping stray or abandoned animals.

Assume that you or your group/organization is interested in submitting a project proposal of 500 words through the Foundation’s online platform. Write the proposal, which should cover the following items of information:

the objective of the project; the amount of grant you are seeking; the details of the project; how the project can improve the community.

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http://www.neowin.net/news/editorial-steve-jobs-massive-tech-legacy

Your tutor will give you feedback on TMA1 in the following areas: Part 1 inclusion of all the main points use of a logical structure use of your own words accuracy of language.

Part 2 sentence construction and vocabulary paragraphing organization and coherence relevance of ideas opening and closing ideas sense of audience.

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TMA2

Due date: 27 January 2012


This assignment consists of two parts: listening and speaking. Each part carries 50 marks. To help you to complete the assignment, you are advised to revise the listening and speaking skills covered in Units 1–4. For listening, your revision should focus on how to achieve successful listening, and to be an active listener by applying your existing knowledge to the texts to which you are going to listen. For speaking, you should revise the sections on stress, intonation, non-verbal communication and the triangular relationship between audience, setting and speech style.

Part 1: Listening (50 marks)

The recording you are going to listen to comprises three sections. In section one an academic talks about the initial conception of the West Kowloon project and the roles it was expected to play. In section two a journalist discusses his scepticism about the project. Section three consists of three interviews in which three well-known people in the community express their views about the West Kowloon project and the arts and cultural development in Hong Kong. To prepare for the listening activities, consider what you already know about the project and the arts and cultural activities in Hong Kong. Then listen to the CD, making brief notes on the content, and answer the questions afterwards. You should write your answers on the question paper itself and attach this to your TMA form, but remember to keep a copy of your answers. Although some answers only require short phrases, you should write in complete sentences whenever they can help to make your answers clearer.

Section 1 (16 marks)

1 The speaker thinks that the West Kowloon project reflects a new trend. What is this trend? (1 mark)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2 In no more than 50 words, describe the evidence the speaker has provided to show that the initial conception of the West Kowloon project was for tourist attraction rather than cultural development. (4 marks)

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

3 Apart from the expected functions of promoting tourism and enhancing the image of Hong Kong, what other function does the speaker think the West Kowloon project might serve? (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

4 According to the speaker, how did the organizers of the two plays Cats and Les Miserables react when they were denied bookings at local performance venues? (3 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

5 Why was the incident mentioned in Question 4 significant for the conception of the West Kowloon project? (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

6 The speaker criticizes the government for continuing the policy of treating arts and culture as sophistication rather than as a way to promote the community’s well-being. What are his justifications? (4 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


1 Give three examples of the speaker’s interests mentioned at the beginning of the talk. (1 mark each)

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________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2 The speaker feels that all those government announcements, the consultations,

____________________ and ____________________ in relation to the West Kowloon

project are not primarily about boosting Hong Kong’s arts and culture. (1 mark each)

3 The speaker says he regrets having once ignored a colleague’s suggestion 22 years ago. What was the suggestion? (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

4 What particular word is used by the speaker to show that he is now paying earnest attention to the changes in the property market? (1 mark)

________________________________________________________________________

5 According to the speaker, what does the Lands Department have to do in order to carry out the land policy which the government has adhered to for the past century and a half? (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

6 How does the speaker interpret the ‘flexibility’ of Norman Foster’s winning design for the West Kowloon Cultural District? (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

7 The speaker mentions at the end of the talk that the West Kowloon project offers an opportunity to the government. What is this opportunity? (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________


Interview 1: with Brenda Chung, a senior government official (7 marks)

1 What was the first question the reporter asked Brenda Chung? (1 mark)

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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2 Circle the facility which is not mentioned in Ms Chung’s introduction to the CulturalDistrict. (1 mark)

a museumb recreational arenac public squared amphitheatre

3 An integrated approach to planning and management of the West Kowloon Cultural

District means a vibrant collaboration between ________________________________and

____________________________________. (1 mark each)

4 What role does the government play in the West Kowloon project? (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

5 What desire of the Hong Kong people does the idea of a big park appeal to? (1 mark)

_______________________________________________________________________

Interview 2: with Joseph Wayne, an internationally well-known conductor (8 marks)

1 According to the interviewer, what has the government already done in order to turn Hong

Kong into an international cultural centre? (2 marks)

_______________________________________________________________________

2 Local major arts and cultural groups complained that there were excessive

________________________________ when they applied for funding from the

government, and that their undertakings were being treated like

_________________________________. (1 mark each)

3 Mr Wayne feels that there is a lack of government empathy for arts. This comment means

that ___________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________ (2 marks)

4 What advice does Mr Wayne give the government on how to make Hong Kong an

international cultural centre? (2 marks)

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_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Interview 3: with Charles Lee, the chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society

(5 marks)

1 Why did Mr Lee’s friends suggest that he join the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society seven years ago? (2 marks)

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

2 Why does the Society need to balance its budget? (1mark)

_______________________________________________________________________

3 How much in donations and sponsorship does the Arts Festival Society need to raise for the 2011 Arts Festival? (1 mark)

_______________________________________________________________________

4 According to Mr Lee, how can the West Kowloon project help to ease the pressure of staging arts and cultural activities? (1 mark)

_______________________________________________________________________

Part 2: Speaking (50 marks)

In Part 2, you need to record a 5-minute speech about what the government should do in order to enhance the arts and cultural life of Hong Kong.

You should comment on the types of arts and cultural activity that are popular in Hong Kong. You should then discuss what actions the government should take to promote the arts and enhance the cultural life of Hong Kong people. In addition to presenting your own ideas and examples, you should use some of those presented in the three recorded texts. Imagine that you are making your presentation in a tutorial, and consider what tone and style you should adopt in this context. If you are uncertain about this, revise Unit 3, pages 36–40.

Your speech should be recorded to an MP3 file or on a CD which you should send to your tutor. Make sure you write your student number, group number and name on the label if you submit a CD. Your tutor will comment on the content, your pronunciation, stress, intonation and fluency. Additional marks will be awarded for the clear development of your ideas through the use of connectives, as well as for the use of relevant information from the recorded texts to support and illustrate your arguments.

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TMA3

Due date: 28 March 2012


This assignment consists of two parts:

Part 1 involves reading some source materials and then writing a short essay. Part 2 is a speaking task.

Before you do the assignment, you are advised to revise the relevant sections in Units 5 and 6, and the speaking and writing skills you learned earlier in the course. For reading and writing, revise the sections on skimming and scanning, summarizing and paraphrasing, attributing ideas, citing sources and the structure of essays. For speaking, consider carefully the section in Unit 6 on the importance of adjusting your message and speech style to suit your audience.

Part 1: Reading and writing (60 marks)

Read the following short texts. As you read, look up any words which are unfamiliar and note synonyms for these words. Also note down the main points of the passages. Then write an essay of about 500 words on the following topic:

Domestic helpers should be given the right of abode in Hong Kong. Do you agree or disagree?

The texts will provide a starting point for your essay and you should try to incorporate into it some of the ideas from the readings, using paraphrase and summary, or direct quotation where necessary. Make sure you attribute these correctly. You will also need to add ideas of your own and use your own experiences to illustrate your points. When writing the essay, pay attention to grammatical accuracy and paragraphing, and make sure you have a clear introduction and conclusion. Additional marks will be awarded for the clear development of your ideas through the use of connectives, as well as for the use of relevant information from the texts to support and illustrate your arguments.

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Text 1: Allow maids case to take its course

The question of whether foreign domestic helpers should have the right of abode in Hong Kong has split the community. Strong opinions have been expressed on both sides and there have been dire warnings about the potential economic implications should they win their case. But as Mr Justice Johnson Lam Man-hon was at pains to stress in his ruling in the helpers’ favour yesterday, this is essentially a matter of law. He applied legal principles and concluded that immigration rules barring helpers from applying for permanent residency are unconstitutional. Whatever view is taken of the maids’ claim, his decision should instil confidence in the integrity of the legal process.

The ruling is significant as it opens the door to the maids for the first time. But it is only the beginning. The government says it is confident of its position and will appeal, asking the court not to enforce the ruling until the legal process is complete. And the judge stressed his decision does not mean the maids will automatically be granted permanent residence after reaching the required seven years. Each application would have to be considered on its merits.

But it remains an emotive issue. Regrettably, even before the hearing, interest groups spread predictions of calamitous social and economic consequences if maids gained the right of abode. This prompted the secretary for justice to issue an extraordinary appeal to the public to refrain from comment which might prejudice or affect the court’s adjudication of the case. There is a need for calm while the dust settles and the government prepares its next move. There are important questions to be thought through.

The court’s finding that domestic helpers could meet the test of being ordinarily resident in Hong Kong, contrary to the government’s argument, is very important. It raises a number of questions about policy on domestic helpers, including the basis on which they are employed, the application of the minimum wage and the ban on helpers from the mainland over concerns they may later claim the right of abode here. The ruling applies to around 120,000 helpers who have been here at least seven years. The government needs to assess the implications carefully. But there is no reason to believe all helpers eligible for the right of abode would want to stay here. Many would rather return to the country they come from, partly because of the ties they have there, but also because the high cost of living here.

Hong Kong is a city governed by the rule of law. A judge has looked at the legal position, weighed arguments on both sides and ruled that foreign domestic helpers can meet the definition of permanent resident provided by the Basic Law. That must be respected and the process allowed to take its course.

(Source: South China Morning Post, 1 October 2011)

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Text 2: Abode status for helpers may backfire

I wish to comment on the impending judicial reviews sought by foreign domestic helpers seeking right of abode in Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, most parents work long hours. They only have a limited amount of time to look after their children and to do their housework so the domestic helper plays an important role in the family home.

There can be no doubt that helpers make an important contribution to our society, but there are others ways to recognise this role than granting them permanent residency.

If the foreign domestic helpers win their legal case, the employer will have to make an important decision. They will have to ask if they want to keep renewing that helper’s contract up to the seven-year point when they can apply for permanent residency.

People supporting their cause argue that, under the present rules, they are treated like second-class citizens. However, I am concerned there might be problems if they were entitled to the right of abode.

Some unscrupulous employers might tell a domestic helper that their contract (enabling them to reach the seven-year mark) would only be renewed if they took a pay cut.

I think it would be better if maids were paid the statutory minimum wage or offered other benefits. This would directly lead to an improvement in their quality of life.

C N Kwok, Mong Kok

(Source: South China Morning Post, 5 August 2011)

Text 3: Grant helpers residency like spouses

I have lived in Hong Kong as the wife of a local for 26 years. For 19 of those years I have had permanent residency, purely by dint of marriage. Although I do work, I could just as easily have chosen not to.

During those years, I have known many domestic helpers who have come and gone and a few who have stayed, working loyally for their employers, in some cases for more than 20 years.I do not believe that foreign imported workers, whoever they are, should be any less entitled to apply for permanent residency than spouses like myself. This exclusion is unethical and unjust.

Domestic helpers in Hong Kong live with the two-week rule hanging over their heads – 20 years of service means nothing, the vast contribution they make to our economy means nothing, and the stability they help provide for children whose parents both have jobs means nothing.

Without these women, the enormous contribution made to Hong Kong’s gross domestic product by local married women workers would sink fast, as they would be forced back into the kitchen by a patriarchal system that allows women to work just as long as they have other women to pick up the slack.

This is a sad indictment of Hong Kong and its claims to egalitarianism and human decency.

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G Kew, Tai Wai(Source: South China Morning Post, 30 July 2011)

Part 2: Speaking (40 marks)

You are going to give a short talk on the same topic you have written about in your essay.

Domestic helpers should be given the right of abode in Hong Kong. Do you agree or disagree?

Imagine you are making a presentation in a speech contest. You should present the main ideas and/or arguments as if you were talking to an audience. You may use the same ideas as you have used in your essay, but you should not just read your essay aloud. If you do this, you will lose marks. You need to consider what tone and style you should adopt in this context. If you are uncertain about this, revise Unit 3, pages 36–40 and Unit 6, pages 31–33.

Your speech should be about five minutes long. It should be recorded to an MP3 file or on a CD which you should send to your tutor. Make sure you write your student number, group number and name on the label when you submit a CD. Your tutor will comment on the content, style and accuracy, and your pronunciation, stress, intonation and fluency.

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TMA 4

Due date: 8 May 2012


Task

This assignment relates to aspects of the work you carried out in Units 7 and 8 of the course and is designed to test your ability to understand and synthesize information from a number of spoken and written sources. To synthesize means to create something by taking and putting together relevant points from different sources of information.

In this TMA, you need to write a 500–600 word essay by synthesizing points from one reading and two listening inputs. The reading passage is on pages 20–21 of this assignment file, and the listening recordings are on the accompanying CD.

The topic of the essay is:

Should a third runway be built at Hong Kong International Airport?

This is a discussion-type essay, so you will need to structure it appropriately. In the discussion, you should determine if a third runway should be built at Hong Kong International Airport and give the reasons why you have come this conclusion.

You should also give an overview of the air traffic problems facing Hong Kong International Airport and how the Airport Authority has planned to deal with them. You could then go on to spell out in the major part of the essay the reasons why a third runway should or should not be built at the Hong Kong International Airport. In the conclusion of your essay, you should sum up the major ideas you have presented in it.

Marks

For this TMA, the essay carries 100% of the marks. The marks are divided as follows:

60 marks for content

You should make sure your content is relevant and, in the final section, you should come to a definite conclusion on the question asked.

In your essay you should paraphrase and cite some of the ideas you have read about and heard in the reading and the talks. Your essay must include references to the listening and reading inputs – there should be at least one reference to each of the three inputs. It should also be useful to include a reference list at the end of the essay.

You must pay careful attention to the reading and listening inputs, since they provide the content points for the essay. You may also include your personal views, experiences and knowledge where these are relevant.

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Your essay must be of an acceptable length. The minimum length is 500 words and the maximum is 600. You may be penalized for writing significantly less than the minimum or significantly more than the maximum.

20 marks for organization

You should make sure you have introductory, body and concluding sections (but do not give these sub-headings).

20 marks for language accuracy

You should proofread your essay carefully to ensure correctness of grammar, use of a range of grammatical structures and accurate spelling and punctuation. You should also use a tone and style appropriate for an academic essay of this kind.

Guidelines

1 Read the passage as many times as necessary to understand it fully. Use a dictionary to help you understand key words and phrases.

2 Listen to the recording for TMA 4 on the CD and note down relevant points in your own words as you listen.

3 As noted above, write a rough plan or outline for your essay in which you order the points from the reading and talks in the most logical way to ensure that you discuss the question ‘from both sides’.

4 Make sure that you structure the essay so that it has clear introductory, body and concluding sections.

5 In your concluding section, answer the question posed in the title of the essay in a way that follows on logically from your discussion.

6 Remember to use your own words to express the ideas which you take from writers and speakers, or to use quotation marks if you are quoting directly. You should also make reference to the writers and speakers in the text of your essay.

7 It is a good idea to write a first (rough) draft of your essay based on your plan, and then go on to evaluate and revise the draft and produce a final (clean) version for submission to your tutor. (It is not necessary to submit any rough drafts to your tutor.)

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Reading

Read the following text carefully, making sure that you understand it fully, and re-read it as often as required. Take notes on relevant points in your own words to use in your essay.

Battle Over Hong Kong Airport Expansion Begins

A proposal to build a third runway at Hong Kong’s airport, in what would be the city’s

costliest infrastructure project ever, underscores the urgency with which this Asian financial

and logistics hub is expanding capacity as air traffic in the region is propelled by growth in

mainland China.

Airport Authority Hong Kong, the government-owned operator of the city’s Chek Lap Kok

airport, Thursday kicked off a three-month public consultation on the new runway, to be

built on reclaimed land at a cost of about 86.2 billion Hong Kong dollars (US$11.1 billion)

at 2010 prices. The project, which includes new passenger terminals, could cost HK$136.2

billion in nominal terms.

Some experts warn that a lack of air-traffic coordination with neighboring airports, as well

as tight restrictions on the use of Chinese airspace, could cap the growth in Hong Kong’s air

traffic, undercutting the project’s returns.

Hong Kong’s airport is within 150 kilometers radius of four other major civil airports in the

Pearl River Delta, an industrial hub and China’s busiest airspace. The four – in Guangzhou,

Shenzhen, Macau and Zhuhai – operate hundreds of scheduled domestic and international

commercial flights.

The region’s airspace is managed under two separate air-traffic control centers, Hong Kong

and Guangzhou. To further complicate the matter, mainland Chinese controllers use meters

and kilometers to measure height and distance, while those in Hong Kong use feet and

nautical miles, which are more commonly used in international civil aviation.

Zheng Tianxiang, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou who specializes in

transport, said a combined air-traffic control center could significantly boost efficiency and

reduce bottlenecks.

“Airspace congestion is part of the reason why Hong Kong’s two existing runways aren’t

fully utilized yet,” he said.

The existing airport opened in 1998 at a cost of HK$55 billion. Prices of construction

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materials such as steel and aluminium have soared since then. The airport, which set a

single-day record of 1,003 flight movements – take-offs and landings – on April 22, has

battled congestion in recent years. Think tank Hong Kong Ideas Centre estimates it may

reach saturation by 2017 and be forced to turn away flights.

The city’s airport authority has said that the two runways at Hong Kong airport will be able

to handle a maximum of 68 aircraft movements per hour in 2015, compared to about 60

now but well below the designed capacity of more than 80, according to some earlier

estimates.

Mr. Zheng said a combined air-traffic-control system could help the five area airports more

effectively deal with the congested airspace. China’s airspace is mainly controlled by the

military, making China one of global aviation’s most restrictive countries. Civilian flights

are allowed to operate only on very limited routes and at a restricted set of altitudes. Serious

delays at times of inclement weather and military activity are common.

Though the airspace above Hong Kong is not under Chinese military control, many flights

pass above mainland China. Restrictions that affect the city include one requiring planes to

enter or leave Chinese airspace from the city at an altitude of around 5,000 meters during

most of the day. To gain enough altitude, aircraft heading north of the city must first fly

south before reversing course, while aircraft arriving from the north need to fly past Hong

Kong to lose enough altitude before landing. These restrictions often add 10 to 15 minutes

to flight time.

Peter Lok, a former head of civil aviation in Hong Kong, cited these existing bottlenecks as

some of the reasons why a new runway shouldn’t be constructed in Hong Kong. He said

Hong Kong should seek cheaper alternatives, such as working with other neighboring

airports to better allocate flights.

“While an expansion is necessary, the real question is which city the third runway should be

located in,” he said, noting that Hong Kong could get extra capacity from Shenzhen’s

airport by siphoning traffic to the adjacent city.

Norman Lo, the current head of the civil aviation department, said Thursday the Hong Kong

government has regular meetings with aviation authorities in China to discuss ways to

enhance air traffic coordination and optimize air routes in the region, but he declined to

elaborate.

(Source: The Wall Street Journal Online, 3 June 2011)

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Listening

Now listen to the two talks ‘Cathy Pacific gives full support for a third runway in Hong Kong’s airport’ and ‘We need to ask ourselves if a third runway is really needed at Hong Kong’s airport’, which are given by an airline employee and an environmentalist respectively to a radio phone-in programme. Make sure that you understand the two talks fully, and listen to them as often as necessary. Take notes on relevant points in your own words to use in your essay.

Writing: essay (100 marks)

Write between 500 and 600 words on the topic:

Should a third runway be built at Hong Kong International Airport?

Re-read the guidelines above before you begin to write the essay as they contain useful advice on how to plan and organize your writing.

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TMA 5

Due date: 2 July, 2012


Please note that no extension is possible for this final TMA.

This assignment asks you to do three tasks, each of which is concerned with the work you have done in Units 9 and 10.

Part 1 Writing a short report (50 marks)

Situation

You work in the Research and Development Department of an international company, dealing mainly with customer research. The company is planning to open a chain of ice-cream shops in Hong Kong. You have been asked to gather information about ice-cream preferences among 18–45 year olds in Hong Kong. To investigate this matter you and your colleagues conducted a survey of 100 people in the above age range on the evening of June 1 2011 at the entrances of TST MTR station. You also approached 100 people outside the MTR station in Central on the evening of June 12 2011. One hundred of the people approached were male and 100 were female. The results of your survey are shown below.

Question 1: Which of the following are your favourite desserts? (Interviewees may select more than one option.)

Dessert Male FemaleCakes 55% 60%Chinese dessert soups 70% 85%Chocolate/candies 50% 40%Fruit desserts 65% 75%Ice cream 45% 55%Pastries 50% 60%Puddings 35% 30%Frozen yogurt 15% 20%

Question 2: On average, how often do you eat ice-cream?

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Frequency Male Female

At least once everyday 25% 25%Once every two or three days 40% 30%Once every week 20% 35%Seldom 15% 10%

Question 3: Which of the following are your favourite ice-cream flavors? (Interviewees may select more than one option.)

Flavor Male Female

Almond 55% 50%

Butter pecan 40% 40%

Cherry 50% 60%

Chocolate chip 55% 45%

Coffee 50% 40%

Mint 65% 65%

Rocky road 50% 40%

Strawberry 60% 80%

Vanilla 55% 75%

Question 3: Have you ever visited a frozen yogurt store before?

Male FemaleYes 20% 25%No 80% 75%

Question 4: Which particular toppings do you like to go with ice cream or frozen yogurt? (Interviewees may select more than one option.)

Topping Male FemaleChocolate chips 35% 35%Fruit (chopped or dried) 70% 85%Fudge 20% 25%Nuts 65% 70%Sauce and syrup 55% 45%Whipped cream 35% 30%

Question 5: How much do you spend on desserts every month?

Amount Male FemaleLess than $100 45% 45%Between $100 and $200 30% 25%Between $200 and $300 15% 10%More than $300 10% 20%

Question 6: Which of the following shopping centres do you visit most often? (Interviewees may select more than one option.)

Shopping centre Male Female

Ocean Terminal 20% 25%

Times Square 40% 50%

Festival Walk 35% 40%

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Queensway 30% 35%

Pacific Place 30% 35%

Task

Use these results to write a report of about 450 words which recommends what form of ice-cream shops your company should consider and where the shops should be located. Refer to Unit 7 and Unit 10 for further information about the structure of reports. Remember to use the appropriate headings:

Introduction: Give the background and purpose of the report. Method: How you collected the information. Findings: You should use sub-headings to divide the findings section into a number of

parts. Try to include at least one graphic (a table, pie chart or bar chart) in your report, based on the results of your survey.

Conclusion/recommendations: What are the implications of what you found for the kinds of ice-cream shop your company should set up? What types of ice-cream should your company focus on? Who are the major target customers? What advertising strategies should your company adopt? Are there other considerations, such as selling beverages and snacks in the shops, that should be included?

Part 2 Writing an application letter (20 marks)

Find a job advertisement in the South China Morning Post. Look for one which interests you, and/or for which you are well qualified. Write an application letter for the job you have selected. Cut out the advertisement and attach it to your application letter when you submit it to your tutor.

Your application letter should be convincing and well written and should be no more than one A4-size page. (If necessary, refer back to Unit 9 to remind yourself of how to write an application letter.)

Part 3 Speaking (30 marks)

Imagine that you have been offered an interview for the job you applied for in Part 2:

Select five of the interview questions from the list below and prepare an appropriate and full answer for each one.

Record both the interview questions and your answers on MP3 file/CD. Give full and detailed answers and try to make them as clear and convincing as possible.

When recording your responses, pay careful attention to your pronunciation, intonation and language accuracy.

Before submitting your MP3 file/CD to your tutor, make sure that your name, student number and tutorial group are written on a label on the MP3 file/CD.

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Interview questions

1 Tell me about yourself.

2 What is the one accomplishment that has given you the greatest satisfaction?

3 Why should we hire you?

4 What do you consider to be your three greatest achievements up to now?

5 How would your previous working experience help you to do this job?

6 What are your long-term goals?

7 List three of your strengths. Which of these do you consider to be your major strength?

8 What do you believe to be your biggest weakness?

9 What motivates you?

10 What is your management style?

11 What do you hope to be doing five years from now?

12 How do you feel about working overtime?

13 Why do you want to change jobs?

14 If you knew that a fellow worker was using unlicensed computer software on one of the company’s computers, how would you handle the situation?

15 How has your educational background contributed to your career? Which of the courses you have done relate to this job?

Your tutor will give you feedback on TMA5 in the following areas:

Part 1

Appropriate format for a report, with headings and sub-headings Accuracy of language – tense, voice, tone Relevance of content for each section of the report Use of visual(s) References to figures from the survey.

Part 2

Format – address, paragraphing, presentation Correct tone Language accuracy Appropriate content – inclusion of necessary and relevant information.

Part 3

Relevant responses, which relate your experience/qualifications to the questions Clear and convincing responses which present you in the best way possible light Correct pronunciation, intonation and stress Appropriate tone.

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