1. 2008 HKCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATION

2. 2007 HKCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATION
Component
Weighting
Duration
Public exam
Paper 1A Reading
Paper 1B Writing
Paper 2 Listening & Integrated Skills
Paper 3 Speaking
20%
30%
15%
1 hour
1½ hours
2 hours
12 minutes (5-min. preparation time included)
School-based
assessment (SBA)
(S. 4 – 7.5%, S. 5 – 7.5%)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22. Recommended websites
SBA Materials – Presentation skills, Recommended list of books and films from HKEAA
English Campus Homepage

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

24. Recommended websites
Read – English books with trial reading and audio clips
Play – online English learning games
Create – read and submit different types of creative English writing by students