Chapter 1 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE DSE ENGLISH SPEAKING EXAM

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2 Contents Introductory Chapters Chapter 1 An Introduction to the DSE English Speaking Exam Chapter 2 Common Mistakes in Spoken English Chapter 3 Phonics Question Papers and Sample Answers Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set Set

3 Chapter 1 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE DSE ENGLISH SPEAKING EXAM A) What is in the syllabus? According to the examination syllabus, the Speaking Test aims to test the ability of candidates to verbally express information and ideas using appropriate vocabulary and with suitable elaboration. This includes the use of hand gestures, body language and facial expressions to convey the meaning of what is being said, while maintaining eye contact with others. Candidates are expected to present their ideas clearly and develop those ideas coherently. They are also expected to speak loudly and clearly enough so that the examiners and the other candidates do not have trouble hearing what is being said. There are two parts to the test: (1) a group discussion based on, and/or thematically linked with, a written passage, followed by (2) a one-minute response to a question asked by one of the examiners. The question will be related in some way to the group discussion task. B) Problems encountered by students Sometimes, students are unfamiliar with the discussion topic or the format of the discussion. For example, the topic might be about going on a holiday to another country. Students who have little knowledge about other countries may find it difficult to think of ideas to contribute to the discussion. Similarly, the discussion might ask the candidates to consider motions for and/or against a debate topic. Candidates who have never taken part in a debate or watched one may find it difficult to contribute to the discussion. Other problems include: a) reading from the card during the discussion; b) speaking too softly or too slowly in the discussion and/or the Individual Response; c) speaking too quickly in the discussion and/or the Individual Response; d) using inappropriate vocabulary to try and impress the examiners; e) not hearing the Individual Response question clearly; f) not understanding the Individual Response question. Let s take a look at the problems in detail so that we can understand what they mean. 1

4 Chapter 2 COMMON MISTAKES IN SPOKEN ENGLISH (A) Pronunciation mistakes WRONG: RIGHT: We all need a hobbit. We all need a hobby. A hobbit is a character in the story Lord of the Rings, and a hobby is an activity that is done mainly for pleasure. e.g. Bilbo Baggins was the name of a hobbit in the story Lord of the Rings. e.g. An author writes for money, but I write for pleasure. It is my hobby. WRONG: RIGHT: It is a bad hobbit. It is a bad habit. A hobbit is a character in the story Lord of the Rings, and a habit is something that is done repeatedly without thinking. e.g. Bilbo Baggins was the name of a hobbit in the story Lord of the Rings. e.g. Biting your nails is a bad habit. WRONG: RIGHT: The book must attack the reader. The book must attract the reader. To attack someone is to set upon him with violent force, but to attract someone is to arouse his interest in something. e.g. He attacked me with a knife. e.g. We could use flashing lights to attract them. WRONG: RIGHT: Some illnesses are cased by poor hygiene. Some illnesses are caused by poor hygiene. Case is usually used as a noun, with several meanings. Cause can be a noun or a verb. e.g. Please put the violin into its case. e.g. The cause of the accident is being investigated. (n.) e.g. Do you know what caused the accident? (v.) WRONG: RIGHT: How to present the camping. How to present the campaign. Camping means to go on an outing and sleep in a temporary shelter such as a tent. Campaign means a series of activities designed to achieve a goal. e.g. I prefer camping in the country parks in Sai Kung, as there are fewer people there. e.g. I want to plan an advertising campaign that will let people know about my new product. 14

5 Chapter 3 PHONICS What is phonics? Simply put, phonics is learning how to read based on the letters and sounds of a word. For example, simple words with one syllable include cap, less, sing, hop and but. What are phonetics? Phonetics are sounds made by the human voice when speaking. When you look up a word in a dictionary, you will see phonetic symbols. For example, the phonetic symbols for phonics are / 'fɒnɪks / The apostrophe mark that you see before the f tells you that the first syllable should be stressed. What are vowels and consonants? There are five vowels: A, E, I, O and U. Sometimes, the letter Y also acts as a vowel, as you will see in the examples below. There are 21 consonants: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y and Z. What are vowel sounds? Although there are five vowels, there are 21 vowel sounds. They are: / i: / as in see / ɪ / as in sit / ʊ / as in put / u: / as in boot / ɪə / as in fear / eɪ / as in say / e / as in let / ə / as in better / ɜ: / as in bird / ɔ: / as in bored / ʊə / as in tour / ɔɪ / as in point / əʊ / as in no / æ / as in cat / ʌ / as in jump / ɑ: / as in cart / ɒ / as in pot / еə / as in hair / аɪ / as in tie / аʊ / as in mouth / i / as in happy What are consonant sounds? Although there are 21 consonants, there are 24 consonant sounds. They are: / p / as in page / b / as in bored / h / as in how / t / as in tie / d / as in dot / m / as in man / k / as in cost / g / as in goat / n / as in no / f / as in fear / v / as in very / ŋ / as in sing / ɵ / as in think / ð / as in that / j / as in young This is also known as the soft th sound This is also known as the hard th sound / s / as in dress / z / as in zoo / ʃ / as in shot / ʒ / as in Asia / ʤ / as in jump / ʧ / as in cheese / l / as in left / r / as in right / w / as in with 27

6 Exercise 1 Choose the most suitable word from the box on the right to complete the poem below. Jenny and Johnny were lost in a ; They searched for some shelter to try and keep. The rain stung their eyes and they started to And then came the wind and carried them. Beyond the green hills and over the It swept them away to The Land Of The. And gently it laid them before the Bee Whose name, they were told, was Lady. And then Johnny laughed as he thought of the : A bee called Christine? He knew what it He called out to Jenny to jump in the And woke himself up from his interesting. Bees cause Christine cough dream off Queen seas storm stream warm was 30

7 Examiner Version PP DSE ENG LANG PAPER 4 Set 3 HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION PRACTICE PAPER ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 4 PART A Group Discussion The advertisement below appeared in a forum on the Internet: Discover Hong Kong with Rexondesk Tours! Our company specialises in tours of Hong Kong. We offer several packages. Hong Kong s Playground Tour This tour consists of visits to the two world-famous theme parks: Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland. The tour also includes a trip to Happy Valley Racecourse to watch races that take place at night. No trip is complete without a visit to Ladies Street in Mong Kok and a guided tour on board a bus that winds in and out of the neon-lit streets of Kowloon. Wild Side Tour If you are looking for something a little different, this tour is probably it. From start to finish, you ll experience a side of Hong Kong that few people realise exists. You ll visit the Hong Kong International Wetland Park. You ll enjoy the breathtaking views atop Tai Mo Shan. And you ll see native flora and fauna during the early morning hikes at two country parks located on Lantau Island. Your group wants to write a message on an Internet forum suggesting places that tourists can visit in Hong Kong. Discuss with your group what to include in the message. You may want to talk about: places that promote Hong Kong s culture and heritage places that promote eco-tourism places that children enjoy visiting anything else you think is important PART B Individual Response 1. Do you consider yourself environmentally friendly? 2. What environmental problems concern you the most? 3. Can you think of any reasons why our country parks shouldn t be tourist attractions? 4. What are the benefits of visiting the countryside? 5. What are the benefits of visiting museums? 6. Have you ever been hiking? 7. Where do you like to go on weekends? 8. What do you like to do with your family on weekends? 9. Can you tell me about the last time you visited Ladies Street in Mong Kok? 10. Which do you think is more suitable for young children Ocean Park or Hong Kong Disneyland? 3-2 DO NOT TAKE AWAY

8 Part A Group Discussion (Sample Answer) Participants: A: Miss Chan B: Miss Au C: Mr Koo D: Mr Yau A: As you know, we re here to talk about the message that we re going to write on an Internet forum about places that tourists can visit. How about we start by coming up with places that promote Hong Kong s culture and heritage? B: Sure. A: I think we could mention something about those statues in Repulse Bay. I don t remember their names, but they were very popular with tourists. D: Miss Chan, I think you re referring to the statues of the Queen of Heaven and Kwan-yin, which is the God of Mercy. A: Yes, those are the ones. C: Tourists can learn about those statutes when they are there and can walk across the Bridge of Longevity and take photos of it and other things there. B: I agree that Repulse Bay is a good place for taking pics, especially towards the end of the day when the sun is setting, so, yes, let s mention that spot in our message. Another great tourist attraction is the Big Buddha, which is one of the world s tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha statues. Just like that place at Repulse Bay, they can learn something about Buddhism, for instance, what is considered important to enter nirvana, such as wisdom and morality. D: Yes, which they can learn through the information provided about the six small bronze statues that surround the Big Buddha. If my memory serves me correctly, those small statues offer flowers, fruit, music and other things to the Buddha. A: I think you re right, Mr Yau, but we d better check before mentioning that in our message. What tourists can also do there is visit the three halls beneath the statue. I ve only been to one of them the Hall of Remembrance, which was really good. That Lantau Island site also has the Po Lin Monastery, which is an enormous Buddhist retreat. There, tourists can learn even more about Buddhism. C: Yes, and they can try the vegetarian food. I think our message can also mention the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin. The museum has many exhibitions, including the New Territories Heritage Hall and the Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall. D: I ve been to that museum several times on school trips, and it s very educational. Cantonese opera can rarely be seen nowadays, but it s an important part of our history, so a visit to that museum can provide tourists with an opportunity to learn about that performing art. The Hong Kong Museum of History is also worth mentioning since it has a fantastic permanent exhibition called The Hong Kong Story. From what I remember, that exhibition has seven or eight galleries displaying thousands of exhibits. A: Eight, actually. The last time I went there with friends, I spent two hours looking at the different exhibits, but even that was not long enough since there was so much more to see and do. 3-3

9 B: Okay, now, let s consider places that promote eco-tourism. Of course, we should mention Hong Kong Wetland Park in our message. That place is easily accessible by public transport, and, like the museums we mentioned before, it has fantastic exhibition galleries for tourists to visit that explain why protecting the environment is important. C: I agree, Miss Au. The Living Wetland Gallery, for example, is a great place for learning about flora and fauna like the mouse deer, which happens to be my favourite animal. B: Yes, the park is educational, but it s also good for those who want to do a bit of exercise since it has places for people to walk, like Mangrove Boardwalk. D: I love Mangrove Boardwalk it s very relaxing, but what I like most of all is going up the Wetland Bird Watch Tower and using a telescope to view birds from afar. I do that every time I go there. Let s mention that as well, okay? C: Okay. Another place that comes to mind is Ocean Park. One of its aims is to teach people about wildlife conservation. I know the park runs a number of wildlife encounter programmes such as the Dolphin Encounter, which allows people to swim with the dolphins. A: Besides that, it has the Amazing Animals Ed-Venture tour, as well as one for sea jellies and fish. I ve been on that tour before, and I thought it was great when I could have a look at the facilities where the animals are kept. Those who are interested in eco-tourism would certainly enjoy that tour. B: Even if they don t join the tours and programmes, they can still see the animals up close and learn about them from the information that s provided. For instance, they can go to the Chinese Sturgeon Aquarium to see that species as well as others that are from the Yangtze River, or they can go to the place with the goldfish to look at and read about the different varieties. C: There s also an attraction for youngsters that teaches them why it s important to take care of the ocean. It s called the Dolphin University, I think. D: Yes, Mr Koo, that s the name. I went there before with my cousins. But Ocean Park is not just suitable for learning about animals it has other things that are a lot of fun, which is why children love going there. B: That s right. In fact, there is one part of the park called Whisker s Harbour with rides and other things for children. It has a playground with slides as well as a thrill ride that goes up and down. D: The Frog Hopper? B: I m not sure about the name, but there s a picture of a frog on the ride, so I guess that is what it s called. C: Let s also not forget to mention attractions found elsewhere in the park, like Raging River and the Ferris Wheel. A: They also have The Rapids. Another place that children enjoy visiting is Hong Kong Disneyland. Although you have other ones around the world, many tourists from the South Asian and Oceanic regions have never been to a Disneyland before, so it s worthwhile for first-time visitors. 3-4

10 C: That s true. You know, some people complain that the park is too small, but I find that there are lots of things to see and do. My younger relations love the Golden Mickeys and the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in particular. B: Well, you have those along with other attractions that are popular with children such as the Winnie-the-Pooh ride and Tarzan s Treehouse. D: And then you ve got Space Mountain and RC Racer, which both children and teenagers love. Are there any other places popular with children that we can include in our message? The Hong Kong Science Museum perhaps? A: That s a good place to include. Every time I ve gone there, children seem to be having lots of fun. I think this has much to do with most of the exhibits being participatory. C: Participatory? A: That means the exhibits are hands-on. For example, they don t just learn about bubbles, they get to make them. C: Oh, yes, I understand what you mean now. Children love learning through direct involvement. If I recall correctly, that museum also has live demonstrations for youngsters to enjoy. B: It does. But my fondest memory of the museum as a child was going to the World of Mirrors gallery and looking at how my body changed shape, so I d like to include that gallery as well. We ve mentioned many good places that tourists can visit. Are there any more that we can include in our message? If not, how about we stop here? 3-5

11 Part B Individual Response (Sample Answer) 3. Can you think of any reasons why our country parks shouldn t be tourist attractions? Yes, I can. First of all, the natural environment of our country parks would be harmed. Tourist attractions obviously require facilities for visitors to use such as toilets, and plenty of concrete paths with railings are provided to allow tourists to get around with little trouble. However, such things harm both flora and fauna. Besides that, at most sightseeing spots, you normally find a lot of rubbish that is left behind by visitors. If animals try to eat this rubbish, they might choke on it and die. Another reason why country parks shouldn t be tourist attractions is that some wildlife found in them is very dangerous, meaning tourists might get hurt or even killed if attacked. For instance, being bitten by a venomous snake like the King Cobra can be fatal if people don t receive medical treatment right away, which is quite likely if on a secluded hill, far from help. 7. Where do you like to go on weekends? On Saturdays, I like going to Times Square in Causeway Bay with my friends after we have finished our tutorial classes. We have a snack at the food court there and usually watch a movie that s showing at the cinema. We might do a bit of window-shopping for an hour or two and try on clothes before going home. On Sundays, I like having lunch at a Chinese restaurant that s near where I live in Hang Hau. That is the only day when everybody in my family is free, so it s great enjoying dim sum together and chatting about what s happening in our lives. After that, my brother and I normally ride our bikes to Sai Kung, which takes us about an hour to reach. There, we meet our parents at the minibus stop and stroll along the promenade and watch the fishermen selling fish from their boats. Spending time in Sai Kung is actually my favourite weekend activity since it s so relaxing. 3-6

12 Language Practice A. Useful vocabulary and phrases come up with to think of an idea e.g. If you can come up with a solution to this problem, please let me know. statue (n.) an object that looks like a person or animal and is made of stone, metal, etc. e.g. I dropped the statue, and it broke in half. mercy (n.) showing kindness and forgiveness towards somebody whom you have the power to punish or harm e.g. The soldier showed no mercy and killed the man s whole family. longevity (n.) connected to having a long life e.g. It s important to eat a lot of fruit to ensure good health and longevity. bronze (n.) a type of metal that is a mixture of copper and tin e.g. The figure was cast in bronze. nirvana (n.) a state of peace and happiness that Buddhists believe can be achieved by giving up all personal desires e.g. Nirvana is not a physical place but a mental state where a person s mind is at peace. wisdom (n.) the ability to make good decisions and provide good advice due to the experience and knowledge that you have acquired e.g. Uncle Raymond is a man of great wisdom. morality (n.) principles concerning the right way to behave e.g. In this increasingly materialistic society, standards of morality are steadily declining. retreat (n.) a quiet, private place where somebody can go to relax, meditate, etc. e.g. She went to a retreat in the countryside to recover. vegetarian (adj.) to describe something that does not contain or use meat e.g. Since there s a demand for healthy food, my uncle has decided to open a vegetarian restaurant. accessible (adj.) to describe something that can be reached or entered e.g. The mountaintop ranch is accessible by helicopter only. flora (n.) all the plants of a particular area e.g. Our team visited Chile to study the flora of that country. 3-7

13 fauna (n.) all the animals of a particular area e.g. We joined an expedition to explore the region s marine fauna. mangrove (n.) a tropical tree that grows in mud or at the edge of rivers and has roots which grow above the ground e.g. Behind Owen s property is a mangrove swamp which, unfortunately, has many mosquitoes. telescope (n.) a piece of equipment shaped like a tube that contains lenses through which distant objects appear closer and bigger e.g. I enjoy getting away from the city lights and gazing at the stars through a telescope. from afar from a great distance away e.g. Claire saw me from afar and called out my name. wildlife conservation (n.) the protection of animals and plants that live in the natural environment e.g. My boss is interested in donating money to a wildlife conservation group. facilities (n.) amenities, buildings, etc. provided to serve a particular purpose (e.g. comfort for the user) e.g. This hotel has some great facilities, such as a gym, a sauna and three top-rate restaurants. aquarium (n.) a glass tank or a building with tanks that is used for keeping and displaying marine life e.g. We placed the aquarium near the door so that visitors could see the fish when they entered. species (n.) a group of animals, plants, etc. that share similar characteristics and are able to breed together e.g. We should do more to protect endangered species. ride (n.) a machine that you sit in at a theme park designed to excite and scare you e.g. The Wild Dragon roller coaster is the longest and scariest ride at this park. in particular especially e.g. Which restaurant do you want to go to in particular? along with in addition to e.g. Rosemary, along with Clive and Jordan, was aboard the ship that sank. fond memory (n.) something that you enjoy remembering e.g. I have fond memories of my time in California. concrete (adj.) to describe something made out of a hard substance that is a mixture of cement, sand, small stones and water e.g. Ricky bounced the ball against the concrete wall. 3-8

14 railing (n.) a fence or a barrier that usually has metal or wooden bars e.g. My nephew pressed his face against the railing to watch the birds. leave behind to not bring somebody or something with you when you leave a place e.g. She exited the building, unaware that she had left her car keys behind. choke (v.) to be unable to breathe due to the windpipe being blocked e.g. Helen was enjoying her sandwich when she started to choke. venomous (adj.) to describe a type of creature (e.g. spider) that is poisonous e.g. Some species of scorpions are so venomous that they are capable of killing a human being. cobra (n.) a type of poisonous snake that can lift the front of its body off the ground e.g. Cobras are often used in street performances in India. fatal (adj.) to describe something that causes death e.g. The doctor told Donald that he had a potentially fatal form of cancer. secluded (adj.) to describe an area or building that is quiet and private due to it being situated far from people, roads or other buildings e.g. We arrived at the secluded beach only to discover that we had forgotten to bring our towels. food court (n.) an area usually found in a shopping mall that has multiple food vendors and has a common area for everybody to sit and eat the food sold by those vendors e.g. Let s get something to eat at the food court in Discovery Park. window-shopping (n.) an activity that involves looking at things in shop windows without any intention to buy them or anything else e.g. I find that window-shopping helps reduce my study stress. try on to put on something to see whether it fits you and whether you like how it looks on you e.g. I might try on this pair of shoes before I make any decision. promenade (n.) a wide path for walking that is next to the sea e.g. Millie ran up and down the promenade in search of her dog. B. Useful phrases and sentences to introduce and respond to points I think you re referring to to clarify somebody s point e.g. I think you re referring to the music room that s the one closest to the canteen. 3-9

15 If (my) memory serves me correctly, to state something that you think is true based on what you remember [ my is optional] e.g. If my memory serves me correctly, our school library has only five computers. is (also) worth mentioning. to introduce a point that you think should be mentioned or to agree with somebody that a point should be mentioned [ also is optional] e.g. That advantage is also worth mentioning. From what I remember, to state something that you think is true based on what you remember e.g. From what I remember, the public swimming pool cannot be used on Wednesday mornings. Okay, now, let s consider to introduce a subtopic e.g. Okay, now, let s consider the dangers of making friends. Another that comes to mind is to introduce an additional point e.g. Another benefit that comes to mind is convenience. Let s (also) not forget to to state something that you believe is important [ also is optional] e.g. Let s not forget to bring enough water since it s going to be hot that day. I understand what you mean now. to show that you now understand somebody s point e.g. I understand what you mean now. Let s do the activity you suggested instead. 3-10

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