This document is a newsletter from the 24th English Society (ENS) Executive Committee and Newsletter Sub-Committee at City University. It contains various articles and interviews. The main articles include:
1. A dialogue between two exchange students from Myanmar and India where they discuss hiking in Hong Kong and their experiences so far.
2. An interview with a student who went on an exchange to Germany about the challenges of learning a new language and culture.
3. Profiles of three final year students in the Bachelor of Arts in English Studies program, discussing their extracurricular activities, internship experiences, and future plans.
4. Interviews with two professors about teaching experiences, advice for students
The June issue is the first magazine from Trendy Sets in partnership with iQuest Malawi. The Magazine covers a range of entertainment topics from the likes of Suffix to diaspora artists and the beef existing between Martse and Fredokiss.
Learner creativity in presentation and writingLee Arnold
The subjective side of second language learning has often been overlooked in favor of a conception of L2 learning tied to objectivity, instrumental gain, measured through standardized testing. This presentation explores how creativity may be manifested by L2 acquirers through presentation and writing tasks and how motivation and an L2 identity that may differ, but track in viability, to L1 identity may be developed.
1) Atsuko thanks Irina for the email about their students communicating via a newspaper article and hopes it encourages more international student connections.
2) Some of Atsuko's students who provided feedback on the communication said it was fun and they were glad to meet the Russian students, with one asking to visit Russia or have the Russian students visit Japan.
3) Atsuko finds that students who usually don't like English classes seem more engaged when communicating internationally and hopes to make her own classes more exciting.
Nikki and Deepu surveyed their colony residents to gather outlines for a paragraph about their colony. They obtained outlines about the colony's park, swings, lack of electricity/water problems, good security, friendly neighbors, nearby school and hospital, and calm environment. Akash explained to them how to develop the outlines into meaningful sentences to write the paragraph. They planned to develop the outlines and show Akash their paragraph. The summary covered the key steps in paragraph writing discussed - what a paragraph is, developing outlines, and sticking to the topic.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a leading figure in India's independence movement. As a lawyer, he earned thousands of rupees per month but gave up his practice to fight for India's freedom. He played a pivotal role in uniting hundreds of princely states with newly independent India. Known as the "Iron Man of India", Patel worked tirelessly to integrate diverse regions and secure borders after partition. He brought stability during a volatile time and helped shape modern India.
This document discusses the importance of sharing poetry with students and provides tips for incorporating poetry into classroom routines. It notes that poetry can be an outlet for expressing feelings and connecting with others. The document recommends making poetry a regular, enjoyable part of the school day through activities like poetry read-alouds, poetry walks, and designating a "poet of the month." It emphasizes modeling appreciation for poetry and avoiding over-analyzing poems to help students develop a lifelong love of the art form.
Use of can´t, couldn´t and not be able to...Nathy Salas
The document provides examples of using "be able to" and "used to" to describe abilities and past habits. For "be able to", it gives sentences like "She is not able to pass math test" and "I am not able to speak Japanese." For "used to", it gives sentences like "I used to go to the gym every day, but now I can't because I have to go to the university" and "They used to visit their aunt Nancy all Sundays, but now she moved to another city so they see her once a month." It also includes examples comparing what people could and couldn't do in the past versus present.
The June issue is the first magazine from Trendy Sets in partnership with iQuest Malawi. The Magazine covers a range of entertainment topics from the likes of Suffix to diaspora artists and the beef existing between Martse and Fredokiss.
Learner creativity in presentation and writingLee Arnold
The subjective side of second language learning has often been overlooked in favor of a conception of L2 learning tied to objectivity, instrumental gain, measured through standardized testing. This presentation explores how creativity may be manifested by L2 acquirers through presentation and writing tasks and how motivation and an L2 identity that may differ, but track in viability, to L1 identity may be developed.
1) Atsuko thanks Irina for the email about their students communicating via a newspaper article and hopes it encourages more international student connections.
2) Some of Atsuko's students who provided feedback on the communication said it was fun and they were glad to meet the Russian students, with one asking to visit Russia or have the Russian students visit Japan.
3) Atsuko finds that students who usually don't like English classes seem more engaged when communicating internationally and hopes to make her own classes more exciting.
Nikki and Deepu surveyed their colony residents to gather outlines for a paragraph about their colony. They obtained outlines about the colony's park, swings, lack of electricity/water problems, good security, friendly neighbors, nearby school and hospital, and calm environment. Akash explained to them how to develop the outlines into meaningful sentences to write the paragraph. They planned to develop the outlines and show Akash their paragraph. The summary covered the key steps in paragraph writing discussed - what a paragraph is, developing outlines, and sticking to the topic.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a leading figure in India's independence movement. As a lawyer, he earned thousands of rupees per month but gave up his practice to fight for India's freedom. He played a pivotal role in uniting hundreds of princely states with newly independent India. Known as the "Iron Man of India", Patel worked tirelessly to integrate diverse regions and secure borders after partition. He brought stability during a volatile time and helped shape modern India.
This document discusses the importance of sharing poetry with students and provides tips for incorporating poetry into classroom routines. It notes that poetry can be an outlet for expressing feelings and connecting with others. The document recommends making poetry a regular, enjoyable part of the school day through activities like poetry read-alouds, poetry walks, and designating a "poet of the month." It emphasizes modeling appreciation for poetry and avoiding over-analyzing poems to help students develop a lifelong love of the art form.
Use of can´t, couldn´t and not be able to...Nathy Salas
The document provides examples of using "be able to" and "used to" to describe abilities and past habits. For "be able to", it gives sentences like "She is not able to pass math test" and "I am not able to speak Japanese." For "used to", it gives sentences like "I used to go to the gym every day, but now I can't because I have to go to the university" and "They used to visit their aunt Nancy all Sundays, but now she moved to another city so they see her once a month." It also includes examples comparing what people could and couldn't do in the past versus present.
Makayla recalls her favorite memory of visiting the Lincoln Memorial during a class trip to Washington D.C. She advises incoming fifth graders to pay attention, turn work in on time, and study hard for math as the courses get more difficult. Makayla also enjoyed math, reading, PE, computers and library classes, and made many friends including Maria, Kenzie, Nikki, Kassi, Cayla, Sidney, Breanna, Austin, Nathaniel and Eli while having teachers Mrs. Boysel, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Mac, Mrs. Widerman, and Coach Mac.
The document discusses flouting and violating maxims, which are ways that speakers can deliberately fail to observe conversational maxims for the purpose of implicature (flouting) or to mislead (violating). It provides examples of characters flouting or violating the maxim of quality by lying or avoiding direct answers. Among the examples are a boy lying about studying all day, a student arriving late to class, friends avoiding directly answering where they are or have been, and characters avoiding answering direct questions about conversations or possessions.
Mengenal Tokoh Sfti Adopt Teacher Kelompok DepokAgus Sampurno
The document discusses R.A. Kartini, one of Indonesia's national heroines. It provides background on her life and struggle to promote women's rights and education. She was born in 1879 in Central Java during a time when women had few rights and little access to education. Kartini fought to continue her studies despite facing opposition. She passed away at a young age but her letters advocating for women's empowerment were later published in a influential book. Kartini is still remembered today for inspiring the women's movement in Indonesia.
Here is the CESL Weekly Newsletter for week 7. Please read and enjoy. As always, if you have any feedback, questions, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me or Tara know.
The candidate has extensive experience working with students of various ages and backgrounds through various teaching and volunteer roles. This includes covering classes and teaching art at several schools, as well as volunteering as an art therapist to help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She holds a Master's degree in Fine Art and a Bachelor's degree with honors in Fine Art.
The students at Newhill Primary School have been learning about China through an interdisciplinary topic over the past 5 weeks. They have created fact files, information leaflets, calligraphy, paintings and more to learn about Chinese culture, geography, history and language. Guest speakers from China have helped teach the students Mandarin words, calligraphy, music and more. The students expressed their enjoyment in learning about Chinese culture.
Describe a moment in your life when you took on a great challenge. What was t...claravelayos
The document describes a student's experience studying abroad at Kents Hill School on the east coast of the United States. After convincing her father, she applied to and was accepted at Kents Hill. She was initially worried about having to share a room and making new friends, but bonded with her Canadian roommate and quickly made a group of friends. During her time at Kents Hill, she learned English and French, participated in sports like skiing and lacrosse, visited nearby cities, and formed friendships with students from around the world. The experience helped her become less shy and gain confidence in facing challenges independently.
The document is a student's school report from Moscow in 2016. It details the subjects studied - Russian, Literature, History, Art, PE, Geography, Math, English, Technology, and Music. The student's favorite subjects are Mathematics because of its problem solving challenges, History for its interesting educational value, and Art because of their creative talents. They also enjoy English for its usefulness in understanding films, songs, and communicating internationally. Overall, the student likes all subjects due to having excellent teachers at their school.
Baby Vomiting - How To Know When Something's Not RightStarlight Baby
When your baby begins to vomit, it's natural as a parent to worry about their wellbeing. However, vomiting is very common with babies, and doesn't always have to be a cause of concern. In this SlideShare, you'll learn the reasons why babies vomit, and when they should be taken the doctor to be checked up on.
The document summarizes research on the stability of lead telluride (PbTe) quantum dots. PbTe QDs show promising properties for optoelectronic devices but are unstable when exposed to oxygen. The document studies the oxidation of various sized PbTe and lead selenide (PbSe) QDs over time when exposed to air and nitrogen. PbTe QDs oxidize much more rapidly than PbSe QDs when in solution. However, coating PbTe QD films with alumina provides effective long-term protection from oxidation.
Este documento presenta un tutorial interactivo sobre cómo elaborar objetos virtuales de aprendizaje (OVAs) usando PowerPoint de manera dinámica. Explica conceptos básicos sobre OVAs y recomendaciones para su elaboración, incluyendo componentes, diseño instruccional y cómo incluir elementos interactivos. El tutorial mismo es un OVA que guía a los usuarios a través de diapositivas, actividades y evaluaciones.
Technology can enhance learning in the classroom. A recent poll asked teachers how technology is used to help students learn. The results showed that teachers see benefits of technology for research, collaboration, and keeping students engaged in their education.
Scrum es un marco de trabajo ágil para el desarrollo de proyectos complejos. Se basa en valores como la honestidad, apertura y colaboración. Los equipos Scrum trabajan en iteraciones cortas llamadas sprints para entregar valor al cliente de forma continua. Los roles clave son el Product Owner, que define los requisitos, el Scrum Master, que guía el proceso, y el equipo de desarrollo. Los artefactos principales son el product backlog, que contiene los requisitos, y el sprint backlog, con las tareas para cada iteración.
Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductors that exhibit size- and composition-dependent optical properties. Their small size ranges from 2-10 nanometers in diameter. Quantum dots can be engineered to emit light at specific wavelengths by controlling their size and composition. They are being used for applications such as biomedical imaging, optoelectronics, quantum computing, and solid-state lighting due to properties like bright and resistant fluorescence. Quantum dots can be conjugated to biological molecules like proteins and antibodies for applications as biomarkers.
The slideshow presentation that was shown at the Toledo City Council Neighborhoods, Community Development & Health Committee Meeting on March 11 in opposition of the demolition of the former United Way Building
All financial ratios of bata shoe of last five years Faiz Subhani
financial analysis of firm's financial statements & horizontal and vertical analysis is also given in this
also explained the purpose of finding each ratio for a firm and how can we compare with its past years and with other organizations and with industry standards
Este documento presenta los conceptos fundamentales de SOA y servicios web. Introduce la arquitectura SOA, sus ventajas y los lenguajes y protocolos implicados. Explica cómo crear y consumir servicios web existentes utilizando las tecnologías más extendidas. El documento está dividido en siete secciones que cubren los fundamentos teóricos de SOA, arquitectura SOA, servicios web XML, implementación de servicios web, servicios web RESTful, interoperabilidad y arquitectura ESB.
Shoppers' Stop was founded in 1991 in India as the country's first department store chain. It has 27 retail outlets across India and plans continued expansion. The company offers a wide range of apparel, footwear, accessories, and home products from both domestic and international brands. Shoppers' Stop aims to provide customers a complete shopping experience and maintains a loyalty program called The First Citizen that has over 2.5 lakh members contributing 65% of sales. The company's goal is to become a global retailer and bring international retail practices to India.
Makayla recalls her favorite memory of visiting the Lincoln Memorial during a class trip to Washington D.C. She advises incoming fifth graders to pay attention, turn work in on time, and study hard for math as the courses get more difficult. Makayla also enjoyed math, reading, PE, computers and library classes, and made many friends including Maria, Kenzie, Nikki, Kassi, Cayla, Sidney, Breanna, Austin, Nathaniel and Eli while having teachers Mrs. Boysel, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Mac, Mrs. Widerman, and Coach Mac.
The document discusses flouting and violating maxims, which are ways that speakers can deliberately fail to observe conversational maxims for the purpose of implicature (flouting) or to mislead (violating). It provides examples of characters flouting or violating the maxim of quality by lying or avoiding direct answers. Among the examples are a boy lying about studying all day, a student arriving late to class, friends avoiding directly answering where they are or have been, and characters avoiding answering direct questions about conversations or possessions.
Mengenal Tokoh Sfti Adopt Teacher Kelompok DepokAgus Sampurno
The document discusses R.A. Kartini, one of Indonesia's national heroines. It provides background on her life and struggle to promote women's rights and education. She was born in 1879 in Central Java during a time when women had few rights and little access to education. Kartini fought to continue her studies despite facing opposition. She passed away at a young age but her letters advocating for women's empowerment were later published in a influential book. Kartini is still remembered today for inspiring the women's movement in Indonesia.
Here is the CESL Weekly Newsletter for week 7. Please read and enjoy. As always, if you have any feedback, questions, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me or Tara know.
The candidate has extensive experience working with students of various ages and backgrounds through various teaching and volunteer roles. This includes covering classes and teaching art at several schools, as well as volunteering as an art therapist to help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She holds a Master's degree in Fine Art and a Bachelor's degree with honors in Fine Art.
The students at Newhill Primary School have been learning about China through an interdisciplinary topic over the past 5 weeks. They have created fact files, information leaflets, calligraphy, paintings and more to learn about Chinese culture, geography, history and language. Guest speakers from China have helped teach the students Mandarin words, calligraphy, music and more. The students expressed their enjoyment in learning about Chinese culture.
Describe a moment in your life when you took on a great challenge. What was t...claravelayos
The document describes a student's experience studying abroad at Kents Hill School on the east coast of the United States. After convincing her father, she applied to and was accepted at Kents Hill. She was initially worried about having to share a room and making new friends, but bonded with her Canadian roommate and quickly made a group of friends. During her time at Kents Hill, she learned English and French, participated in sports like skiing and lacrosse, visited nearby cities, and formed friendships with students from around the world. The experience helped her become less shy and gain confidence in facing challenges independently.
The document is a student's school report from Moscow in 2016. It details the subjects studied - Russian, Literature, History, Art, PE, Geography, Math, English, Technology, and Music. The student's favorite subjects are Mathematics because of its problem solving challenges, History for its interesting educational value, and Art because of their creative talents. They also enjoy English for its usefulness in understanding films, songs, and communicating internationally. Overall, the student likes all subjects due to having excellent teachers at their school.
Baby Vomiting - How To Know When Something's Not RightStarlight Baby
When your baby begins to vomit, it's natural as a parent to worry about their wellbeing. However, vomiting is very common with babies, and doesn't always have to be a cause of concern. In this SlideShare, you'll learn the reasons why babies vomit, and when they should be taken the doctor to be checked up on.
The document summarizes research on the stability of lead telluride (PbTe) quantum dots. PbTe QDs show promising properties for optoelectronic devices but are unstable when exposed to oxygen. The document studies the oxidation of various sized PbTe and lead selenide (PbSe) QDs over time when exposed to air and nitrogen. PbTe QDs oxidize much more rapidly than PbSe QDs when in solution. However, coating PbTe QD films with alumina provides effective long-term protection from oxidation.
Este documento presenta un tutorial interactivo sobre cómo elaborar objetos virtuales de aprendizaje (OVAs) usando PowerPoint de manera dinámica. Explica conceptos básicos sobre OVAs y recomendaciones para su elaboración, incluyendo componentes, diseño instruccional y cómo incluir elementos interactivos. El tutorial mismo es un OVA que guía a los usuarios a través de diapositivas, actividades y evaluaciones.
Technology can enhance learning in the classroom. A recent poll asked teachers how technology is used to help students learn. The results showed that teachers see benefits of technology for research, collaboration, and keeping students engaged in their education.
Scrum es un marco de trabajo ágil para el desarrollo de proyectos complejos. Se basa en valores como la honestidad, apertura y colaboración. Los equipos Scrum trabajan en iteraciones cortas llamadas sprints para entregar valor al cliente de forma continua. Los roles clave son el Product Owner, que define los requisitos, el Scrum Master, que guía el proceso, y el equipo de desarrollo. Los artefactos principales son el product backlog, que contiene los requisitos, y el sprint backlog, con las tareas para cada iteración.
Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductors that exhibit size- and composition-dependent optical properties. Their small size ranges from 2-10 nanometers in diameter. Quantum dots can be engineered to emit light at specific wavelengths by controlling their size and composition. They are being used for applications such as biomedical imaging, optoelectronics, quantum computing, and solid-state lighting due to properties like bright and resistant fluorescence. Quantum dots can be conjugated to biological molecules like proteins and antibodies for applications as biomarkers.
The slideshow presentation that was shown at the Toledo City Council Neighborhoods, Community Development & Health Committee Meeting on March 11 in opposition of the demolition of the former United Way Building
All financial ratios of bata shoe of last five years Faiz Subhani
financial analysis of firm's financial statements & horizontal and vertical analysis is also given in this
also explained the purpose of finding each ratio for a firm and how can we compare with its past years and with other organizations and with industry standards
Este documento presenta los conceptos fundamentales de SOA y servicios web. Introduce la arquitectura SOA, sus ventajas y los lenguajes y protocolos implicados. Explica cómo crear y consumir servicios web existentes utilizando las tecnologías más extendidas. El documento está dividido en siete secciones que cubren los fundamentos teóricos de SOA, arquitectura SOA, servicios web XML, implementación de servicios web, servicios web RESTful, interoperabilidad y arquitectura ESB.
Shoppers' Stop was founded in 1991 in India as the country's first department store chain. It has 27 retail outlets across India and plans continued expansion. The company offers a wide range of apparel, footwear, accessories, and home products from both domestic and international brands. Shoppers' Stop aims to provide customers a complete shopping experience and maintains a loyalty program called The First Citizen that has over 2.5 lakh members contributing 65% of sales. The company's goal is to become a global retailer and bring international retail practices to India.
Despite the presence of hundreds of Chinese students in Amsterdam, there was no official Chinese student society until Zijian Wang started organizing gatherings and celebrations. Wang helped welcome new Chinese students and organized events for holidays like Chinese New Year which have been well-attended. He has also started a Facebook group for Chinese students at the HvA that now has about 70 members. Wang acknowledges challenges in catering to students from different regions of China but hopes his student society can help newcomers feel less isolated and encourage them to speak up if excluded from conversations in Dutch.
Anqi Fu is seeking a position at the Met museum. She has a Master's Degree in Art from Hunan Normal University, where she ranked in the top 6% of her class. She has experience tutoring art students, working as a designer, and volunteering. Her interests include reading, music, traveling, and photography. She is passionate about spreading beauty through art and hopes to one day create a fashion brand inspired by the Met museum.
Evaluation of the first meeting in ostrava, CZHolasová Alena
The document summarizes evaluations from participants in a first meeting held in Ostrava, Czech Republic from January 26-31, 2015. It includes responses to questions about who participated, what was learned, activities during the meeting, and impressions. Key findings were that participants enjoyed getting to know others from different countries and backgrounds, teaching and sharing lessons was inspiring, and visiting local attractions like museums and the mountains was educational. The most challenging aspects for some were the cold weather, unfamiliar food, and language barriers.
This document is the introduction to a Ukrainian textbook for 7th grade students. It welcomes the students back to school and previews what they will be learning about during the school year, including family, traditions, health, sports, travel to the UK and Australia, and culture in Kyiv. It encourages the students to have an engaging and successful year of learning.
This document is an introduction to a Ukrainian textbook for 7th grade students. It begins by welcoming the students back to school and encouraging them to share their summer holiday experiences with their classmates. It discusses the importance of family and spending time with friends. The introduction also provides an overview of the various topics that will be covered in the textbook, including family, health, sports, travel to different countries and cities, and learning English as a language of international communication. It wishes the students a productive school year as they embark on an educational journey through the textbook.
This document provides an overview of the contents and structure of the first session of an English language course. It includes sections on communicative competence, classroom activities, affective filters, interlanguage, approaches to teaching English, the structure of sessions, metalanguage, resources, classroom language, phonetics, introductions, and a grammar review of the present simple and present continuous tenses. The session aims to improve students' communicative competence through interaction and collaboration using tasks, role plays, and group work. Errors are viewed as a natural part of the language learning process.
The article discusses international students' experiences at Gyeongsang National University and opportunities for improvement. It interviews the president of the International Students Association, who feels that while GNU provides good funding, more could be done to support international students socially and academically. He suggests teaching more courses in English, providing information to students in English, addressing dietary and living concerns, and facilitating interaction between Korean and international students. The article also profiles a former international student leader who overcame barriers through involvement in campus activities. He advises international students to challenge themselves by interacting with Korean students. While GNU does good work supporting international students, there is still room for improvement to better serve their needs.
The document is an English textbook for 5th grade students in Ukrainian schools that specialize in English. It contains 7 units covering topics like family, school life, holidays and contains exercises to improve students' English pronunciation, grammar, reading comprehension and communication skills. The textbook aims to help students learn English as an international language of communication through conversations with characters from various English-speaking countries.
The document summarizes the author's experiences traveling to Shanghai, China to improve their Mandarin language skills. They took language classes for 3 hours daily and practiced with local shopkeepers. By interacting with the community, the author felt like part of it by the end of their trip. They filmed interactions and posted videos and pictures online for their students to view, inspiring one student to want to visit China.
This newsletter provides information about recent activities of the International Studies Program at Manhattanville College:
- It summarizes an internship at the Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund and attending the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
- It interviews an INS major who had an internship representing Costa Rica at the UN on the Disarmament and International Security Committee.
- It shares the experience of a student studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain for a semester, discussing how the city left an impact and she fell in love with the culture.
This article summarizes the experiences of a Brazilian family that has lived in Wuhan, China for over six years. It details how they first came to Nanjing in 2003 as part of an exchange program and fell in love with Chinese culture. They later returned to Wuhan where several family members have since studied or worked. The family now considers Wuhan their long-term home and appreciates the opportunities and adventures the city has provided.
The document shares stories from a Japanese university student's English class. It discusses cultural exchanges the student's school has with teachers and students in other countries, including Malaysia, Antarctica, Boston, and New York. These exchanges occur through online conferencing tools and allow for discussions on various topics. The document also includes messages from other students seeking help or introducing themselves as part of cultural exchanges.
The document provides information on various topics related to learning Chinese, including:
1) It discusses different approaches and projects for studying Chinese, as well as the importance of context like calling teachers by their proper titles.
2) Information is provided on Chinese language schools and programs in China, including course offerings and opportunities for cultural excursions and experiences.
3) Background is given on Chinese characters, including components, pronunciation, frequency of use, and apps for learning characters.
Alejandra Gonzalez de la Pena is a 29-year-old volunteer from Seville, Spain teaching at the Salomon School in Zielona Gora, Poland. She studied psychology and social work in Spain before becoming an English teacher. Alejandra chose to volunteer in Poland to gain teaching experience and learn about a new culture. At the Salomon School, she supports teachers and students, teaches Spanish lessons, and plays games with the children to practice language skills. Alejandra believes volunteer programs provide valuable life experiences through cultural exchange and personal growth.
- Bui Ngoc Thu Truc is a 23-year old Vietnamese student studying English at CIP school in the Philippines.
- She had not expected to make new friends, but has become close with her teachers and other students. She does not want to leave CIP because of the friends she has made.
- Truc shares that studying at CIP has improved her English skills and given her confidence to communicate in English. The environment at CIP and interaction with teachers has been a great learning experience for her.
The document discusses various approaches to teaching grammar, including explicit grammar instruction and more communicative, implicit approaches. It presents examples of activities that integrate grammar practice into communicative activities, such as information gap exercises, personalization activities, and creative tasks. It advocates for grammar instruction that is genuinely communicative, focused, formulaic, and provides inherent repetition to help students automatize target structures.
2. CONTENT
FiguringCityU
ENS
Introduction
Greetings
from
EnsoulCover Story: tête-à-têtes
Chat with Professors
Interview with E.L.S.T
Survival Tips for AAEPC
Uni and Intern Tips
Column for Creativity
03
04
10
08
07
06
12
We would like to thank the Division
of Languages and Communication
(LAC) of the Community College
of City University and the English
Language Centre (ELC) of City University
to sponsor our newsletter.
Editor-in-chief
Mehmood Kishwar
Tonia Siu
Souletter is one of the channels for you
to use your creative mind and skills to
communicate with other readers.There
are manyinteresting and exciting read-
ings waiting to be read. Explore and
figure out what CityU has packed for
you!First of all I would really like to grab
this chance to thank you and welcome
you to “Souletter”, the first of a series
of newsletter from the 24th English
Society (ENS) Executive Committee and
the Newsletter Sub-Committee.
This is the first time an ENS newslet-
ter has been created by a group of
students who are interested in writing
articles or designing for publica-
tions. Souletter is one of the most an-
ticipated projects throughout the year
as it connects the unique and inspiring
works of the members. The contents are
designed to benefit the English Major
students and built to create a stronger
society together.
Ensoul’s executive committee, is so glad
to have two teams of sub-committee to
provide creative ideas and help with
the publication of this newsletter. In just
two months, they were able to interview
many people, from international stu-
dents to local students and professors.
They wrote articles that will provide
benefits and entertainment to the read-
ers and are designed in a simple and
interactive way. Even though the sub-
committee members were really busy
with their school works, they still of-
fered help and contributed as much
as they could. Their effort and passion
are much appreciated. Here are our
talented team of writers and designers!
Sub-Committee
Writing Team
Brian Li (BA) - Head
Sneha Thapa (BA)
Angela Shui (BA)
Jeramy Lee (BA)
Angie Leung (BA)
James Lam (BA)
Joyce Ng (BA)
Sheryle Lai (AA)
Jianne Soriano(AA)
Natalie Ho (AA)
Design Team
Erica Tang (BA) - Head
Jesa Mae (AA)
Joseph Tai (AA)
Jenny Chan (AA)
Ariel Chan (AA)
Catherine Laganzon (AA)
Souletter
Thanks to Our Sponsor
v v
3. vv
v COVER STORY
5
Writen by Sneha Thapa &
Angela Shui
Designed by Ariel Chan
“If I could change anything about Hong
Kong, nothing really, just the education.”
M
aybe it’s what I feel, but studying here is very unhealthy - eating, sitting, listening
to lectures then repeat. People say HK’s quite beautiful, if you go hiking you can
see its epic views! If you go to the Peak, it’s very expensive, but if you go hiking,
you’re going to be fit and you’re going to be enjoying different views of HK
from different corners.
My friend once said, “It seems like you’re modeling at the top of the
mountain”, but I’m just taking photos for memories. I usually go hiking with a few close friends
and, you know, to meet friends for two or four hours is so difficult, but if we go hiking, we can
have more lively conversations rather than we meet outside in the canteen or something.
I’ve never done hiking in my home country as it’s not very secure. Though I grew up in the
mountain areas, it wasn’t safe and there were no hiking trails despite there being many
mountains.
O
verall, it’s been good staying in Hong Kong. The place
is diverse. You meet a lot of people from other countries.
Hong Kong is like the gateway of Asia. It’s a part of China,
but you don’t feel too immersed into the Chinese culture be-
cause of the western influence. I’m tolerant of all cul-
tures, but if you can’t understand the language,
it’s a problem, isn’t it? Some people, for example the taxi drivers,
know just a bit so I’ll have to go like "shing si dai hok suk se (Student
Residence of CityU)". I know Mandarin but I don’t know Cantonese. I
learnt Mandarin back in India for about three months. It’s not really
helpful because everyone speaks Cantonese here.
“It seems like youíre modeling at
the top of the mountain.”
tête-à-tête
Student:SanBura
From:Myanmar
Student:AdityaSharma
From:India
A DIALOGUE WITH
EXCHANGE STUDNETS
“Just go out and talk to
people.”
N
ot even one year, it’s just one semester that I’ve come here. I visit-
ed some places in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island and usually go
to the Hong Kong Art Center to see some movies. I find it amaz-
ing how HK’s trying to promote art. As I’ve experienced, I can
see that the government devotes a lot of money and resources
to promote art. They want to encourage the young generation,
so they provide a lot of discounts and tickets to the students. Ironically, while I really
appreciate the Hong Kong government’s policies, I don’t think the people or the
students are interested in anything related to art or culture; lots of the local young
people don’t participate in lectures or exhibitions.
I think many of the Hong Kong people are very creative, because it’s an interna-
tional city, a lot of them can get exposed to different kinds of art and different
kinds of people.
“I just want to see some islands. That would be
very nice.”
B
efore coming here, I didn’t check about Hong Kong, so
I didn’t know what to expect from it, but I didn’t expect
this of course. I thought it would be more Asian. I came
here because I wanted something different from the
western countries but it’s pretty much the same.
I’m here for a semester so I’ll leave at the end of May.
I’m planning to rent a boat from the harbor with a group of people,
so we could go wherever we want. I just want to see some islands
where there’s just nature… just nature.
Student:Hong
From:MainlandChina
student:Gioacchino
From:Italy
4. INTERVIEW
WITH
E.L.S.T.
Q: Did you know German before-
hand?
A: Just very little bit. Most of the Germans
know and speak English. But still, knowing
Germancouldmakeone’slifealoteasier.
Q: Did you encounter any difficulties
during the exchange? How did you
solve it?
A: Yes. The first was the bureau-
cracy. It’s super problematic and an-
noying and there’s no short cut but
to deal with it. The second was step-
ping out of my comfort zone to meet
people. I was more timid and shy, but
don’t be afraid to express yourself
and let others know more about you.
Q: What did you learn from the ex-
change?
A: I’ve realized there’s nothing to fear to
be completely yourself in front of others.
You might not be perfect but nobody is.
If you don’t perceive it as a shortcoming
nobody will judge you or look down upon
you. So I’ve learned to be true to my-
self and be direct like how Germans do.
Q: Any advice for students interested
in going on an exchange?
A: Be prepared to face cultural chal-
lenges. The directness of Germans and
most of the other Europeans might sound
offensive to Asians at first, but after get-
ting along with them, they can be genu-
ine lifelong friends. Don’t care too much
about university rankings. Germany
might not be a popular choice among
university students but Berlin is truly a
great city to be given its abundance
of cultures and history and proximity to
other great cities.
v
Exchange
Michelle Mok is a year 3 student under the creative
stream. Passionate in language and a wanderlust at
heart, she traveled alone to Korea last summer for a
one-month programme and went to the Humboldt
University of Berlin in Germany for an exchange
programme.
Knowing more about the creatives and professionals:
Into the shoes of students from the Bachelor of Arts in English Studies.
Being a student in the Bachelor of Arts in English Studies (BAELST) is not just about burying ones
head in books. We have found 3 students to tell us more about the final-year projects, exchange
experience and extracurricular activities involvement.
Activities
Matthew Leung is a final year student under the cre-
ative stream.With a unique mindset, he treaded on
a different path from the crowd. Being an executive
committee member of the Students’Union, an editor
of the Editorial Board and the founder of the Baseball
& Softball Society.
v
v UNIVERSITY LIFE
7
vPROFESSOR INTERVIEW
6
Q: Why did you defer your study for
1 year?
A: To finish my Japanese minor with
more time and to focus on extracur-
ricular activities. It was too demanding
study-wise as I have taken 21 credits in
one semester already and still needed
to do 2 semesters with 18 credits each.
Q: Isn’t 18 the maximum number of
credits you can take for each semes-
ter?
A: I need to apply for it, and the Eng-
lish Department has to approve. Once
signed I can never apply for a reduc-
tion in study load for tuition reduction.
Q: Why did you participate in so
many extracurricular activities?
A: I wanted to write news and felt that
the students’ voice was not well pre-
sented, so I joined the editorial. I also
wanted to revive the CityU Broadcasting
Channel so I joined the Students’ Union
Executive Committee. Then the English
Society was also falling, so me and my
friends took it upon ourselves to revive
it. I really like softball and baseball so I
founded the Baseball & Softball Society.
Q: Is it easy to balance extracurricular
activities and study?
A: Probably not for many. I cannot be
sure. I think I can, but not many others
seem to be doing fine. My belief is that, if
your grades fall because of other duties,
then they will still fall without the duties.
Q: What is the best time to apply for
graduate jobs?
A: I don’t think there is a suitable time to
apply for graduate jobs, but you cer-
tainly have to keep yourself updated. I
regularly go to a section called “Job-
Plus” on AIMS. There are a variety of
jobs that you could apply for and this
service is free. It’s not limited to just
CityU jobs, but also jobs available
outside, both full-time and part-time.
Q: Where did you get information
about career fairs?
A: I regularly check the CAP (CityU An-
nouncement Portal), because it has up-
dates every day and it notifies you about
many career opportunities going on in
the campus, for example, career fairs.
Q: Do you have any job interview/
hunting tips?
A: Don’t be afraid to fail. Keep a posi-
tive attitude. If you like that job and you
want to do it, just apply. You can send
out over 50 applications. For interviews,
don’t be nervous and don’t fake your an-
swers. The interviewer would notice your
nervousness from your body language.
Q: What’s your plan after
graduation?
A: I might enter the public relations in-
dustry, but there are others I could try:
Human Resources, Merchandising, Mar-
keting, Copywriting and Media. One of
the good things about the department is
the compulsory internship. You actually
have a chance to work in a company
and have something to write on your CV,
unlike other summer or part-time jobs.
Future
Rico Au is a final year student under the corporate
stream. He did his internship at a public relations
firm named Executive Council, and is doing his final
year projec for 513 Paint Shop, which involves helping
them find clients for collaborations.
Writen by Jianne Soriano & Natalie Ho
Designed by Jesa Mae
Writen by Jeramy Lee & Joyce Ng
Designed by Catherine Laganzon
Dr. Jeffrey Mather
Assistant Professor
CityU
Dr. Pauline Burton
Senior Lecturer
CCCU
everyday
professor
Eyetoeye:
As we sat down facing her, she held out
a lipstick, “Even professors need to look
good for an interview,” she said. Dr. Pau-
line Burton, a senior lecturer in the Divi-
sion of Languages and Communication at
the Community College of City University
(CCCU), has had many years of teaching.
This interview is about her life including
her teaching experience and her family.
Q. What do you like about teaching
in Hong Kong?
A. I think I would say that not all but most
Hong Kong students are really serious
about their education, wanting to work
hard and to work better. It means that
they are open to being taught because
they want to do well. They are willing to
learn new stuff and doing the best that
they can and that makes me happy with
them.
Q. Your daughter, Susie Wilkins
is a singer from the UK, what is
your favorite song that she has re-
leased?
A: It’s called “No Answer”. She wrote it
after a time when my husband had just
passed away. She went with her partner
to the Grand Canyon in the US and when
she sat there, she realized how small she
was in comparison to the vastness of na-
ture. So the title of her song, “No Answer”
sounds a bit sad but it isn’t really. She
came to the conclusion that you don’t re-
ally need to have answers, you just have
to accept things as they are and enjoy
the beauty that’s around you in your life.
Q: Any advice to young people
who are undecided about their fu-
ture?
And those associate degree students
who want to further their studies?
A: You have to embrace indecision and
not be afraid of it. And not to think that
the choices you make at 18, 19 or 20
totally shape the rest of your life. I know
sometimes it can but it’s the beginning
of a fairly long journey. For picking de-
gree programmes, you need to choose
something where you know you can get a
good GPA, not because it’s easy but be-
cause you’re interested in it. Doing what
you love is actually quite good advice in
practical terms because you will get bet-
ter grades. If you’re looking ahead and
you have some idea what you want to do
in your life then don’t be afraid of tack-
ling something hard. My other piece of
advice is when I say, “Hope for the best,
plan for the worst,” is that it’s always a
good idea to have a plan B.
Just as we reached the venue, he entered
holding a cup of Pacific Coffee; he didn’t
look tired but rather cheerful. He is Dr. Jef-
frey Mather from Canada, an assistant pro-
fessor in the Department of English of City
University of Hong Kong. He has also worked
in Taiwan, Mainland China and the UK.
Q: What made you pursue the career
that you’re doing now?
A: Well, my family is a family of teachers,
and I remember when I was young, I thought
I don’t want to be a teacher, but it was my
fate I guess. I was always attracted to teach-
ing in higher education and I didn’t really
see that when I was young, but as I got ex-
perience working, like I mentioned I was in
Taiwan for a while, I realized that I should
do a PhD, and just go all the way, so it was
slowly, over time, and that was the path
that became clear.
Q. Do you have any tips or advice
for young people who want to pur-
sue writing?
A. I think the internships that we offered
for the English Department can give stu-
dents some good opportunities, I’ve seen
that happened. But students don’t need to
get an internship through us, they can find
them in HK, so students should try. They
should have confidence. They should real-
ize that editors will help them, they are not
alone and they should look around for op-
portunities in HK. For places like this, they
should look around magazines and online
then they should jump right in. When it
comes to professional writing, if it’s more
like fiction writing or creative writing, I
think students should definitely have the
same kind of thing. They should just get
their stuff out there and be confident with
it.
Q. Is there any place that you rec-
ommend young people to travel to
and why?
A. I really love Turkey because it was af-
fordable. I have been travelling to West-
ern Europe and it was expensive although
it’s beautiful. But if it’s expensive, you
don’t feel happy because you’re constant-
ly spending in restaurants. So, if you have
unlimited budget, then Western Europe.
But honestly, I think for many people they
should also explore China. It’s a really
big country and there’s so much there. I
love the province of Yunnan. I’ve been to
there five times and I keep going back
because it’s such a diverse city and it’s
a wild and beautiful place. I think that’s
one of my favorite places in the world.
5. v SURVIVAL TIPS
9
Writen by Jeramy Lee &
Joyce Ng
Designed by Catherine Laganzon
Associate of Arts in English for Professional Communication
Got in to the AAEPC programme? Not sure what to expect from year 1? The answers are here:
from the year 1 survivors themselves!
Students from the Associate of Arts in English for Professional Communication (AAEPC) have joined
forces to give us valuable insights ranging from how to handle assignments, group projects and
exams to finding that ideal group mate for group work (and being a good group member
yourself) on your first year in the programme.
College life-hacks presented by the brave survivors of year 1 EPC
u
Do’s Dont’s
Jodie: “Take the trouble to email teachers and make appoint-
ments to talk about things you need to clarify and understand
before the big days, e.g. exams, presentations, assignments.
Lectures, Tutorials
& Classes
Edwin: “Get prepared, be familiar with the notes, and try
to keep yourself conscious during classes.”
Hannan: “Do pay attention; a lot of the times the lectures
have information that could help you during the exams. Do
take down notes because it will help you.
Jodie: “Don’t be late for lectures or tutorials. Save some
faces and teachers remember who makes the effort to be
on time; they appreciate that.”
Hannan: “Don’t get on your phones during lectures, it’s
a sign of disrespect and most slides have the answers to
exams. Don’t be late, otherwise you will miss out a lot.”
Junie-lene: “Don’t come in empty-handed! If you forgot
to print your notes or bring your laptop, take notes with a
piece of paper - it’s effective in absorbing information!”
Febenino: “Don’t get into a group with just your friends
during group-based projects.”
2.
Study Hacks
& Tricks
Jodie: “When it comes to group projects, look for integ-
rity and responsibility in a teammate. Make sure your group
mates know they have an equal part to play. Before pre-
sentations, practice in front of group mates over and over
again”
Hannan: “Have breaks in between, a lot of them. It helps
me stay focused and get more work done by looking for-
ward to my next break… try studying in AC3 (7th floor)
past the canteen. There’s a huge section full of desks, chairs
and peace!”
Junie-lene: “Give yourself study goals - e.g. Exam time is
in 4 weeks, and there’re 3 subjects to study for: each week,
study and divide chapters of each subject accordingly and
use the extra time to go through the more difficult chapters.
Febenino: “You’re in college, meet new people, create new
groups and mix.”
Febenino: “My advice is find a study buddy, someone who
is as serious as you academically. Go to the Flow Center, the
podiums with seats, anywhere that’s quiet, isolated and has
blank walls. Because even white walls will become interest-
ing after a while of boredom.”
Kelvin: Try studying in the campus’s computer rooms. As
for an ideal group mate? Someone who can think for them-
selves. How to be a good group mate? Be responsive! And
always go to your tutor or lecturer for anything you are
unsure about.
Time Management
Tips
Jodie: “Do not prolong work-time by procrastinating. The only person that suffers is you! Execute an assignment one
by one, and you’ll be done before you even realise.”
Edwin: “Try your best to plan out the time table for assignments and exams right at the beginning of the semester
when the tutors hand out the course guidelines.”
Febenino: Make sure you remember the due dates of all homework.
They WILL pick up the papers at 6PM ON THE DOT. 6:01PM and it’s late, trust us.
Kelvin: “Expect you would procrastinate when considering how much time you intend to invest in certain assign-
ment.”
Hannan: Have a planner, it helps keep you on track! You could even use your phone’s calendar and set dates and
times.
KELVIN FEBENINO HANNAN JODIE EDWIN JUNIE ADVICE
Febenino: For students who are working and
studying, make sure your job is very flexible
in hours. Every semester will bring in a new
schedule and your bosses might not like that.
Plan ahead and warn your employers.
Edwin: If your fiscal situation does not
require you to take any part-time job, you
should stay out of it, and enjoy the university
life.
Febenino: Final advice? Be nice to everyone.
(Stop the drama.) Remember, ALL problems do
have a solution. Also, whether you feel you are
on top of the world or beneath it, happy or sad,
“This too, shall pass”.
Kelvin: Avoid to be judgmental as much as pos-
sible. It stresses you unnecessarily and unhelpful-
ly. Don’t compare yourself to anyone. The only
person you need to be better than is yourself.
{{
1.
theultimatesurvivalguidefor
year1students(AAEPC)
3.
4.
6. Writen by Angie Leung &
Mehmood Kishwar
Designed by Jenny Chan
Prepare possible ques-
tions for the interview
Remember to do some research and
looks at the company’s background be-
fore the interview. For me, I had an
audio skype interview with my boss.
It was a casual chat about my past
workingexperiencesandwhatIhavelearnt.
Good time management
They are looking for an idea person who
is able to cope with tight deadlines. Peo-
ple with past editorial experiences or
those who had written articles other than
academic assignments would be an advan-
tage. In the job, I contributed articles to the
newsletter published by the ELC in CityU
and was a teaching assistant for a pro-
fessor. In the job, I wrote some wikipedia
entries as well as blog entries and helped
to prepare some teaching materials. All
these helped a lot for my application.
About the Duties...
Firstly, it is about work ethic. You have
to follow the tight schedule with limited
manpower. HK Magazine is published
weekly and all articles should be cut
off 2 days prior to publication, there-
fore you have to finish the 50 pages of
magazine within 5 days. Secondly, be
prepared to work outside HK Magazine
because it publishes lots of free magazines.
You
have to
follow the tight
schedule with lim-
ited manpower. You
have to finish the 50
pages of magazine
within 5 days.
I would make it a long-term preparation
like joining some volunteering schemes
related to PR and event management to
build up my profile. For my post, you have
to submit a portfolio demonstrating your
creativity and knowledge in design
software. We were then invited to a group-
based interview by the department. The
toughest question as I recall on the wed-
ding intern was to list 3 themes for a wed-
ding couple. In general, the department
would shortlist a few candidates and you
may be invited for skype or phone inter-
views by the hosts. Remember to tailor your
portfolio and CV to show your capability
for the post you are aiming for.
Prepare for the
application
Pay attention to every
detail
For Singaporean bosses, they empha-
size on good academic results, high Eng-
lish proficiency and good communication
skills. You have to be highly adaptable
and learn new things quickly. And as a
wedding and event planner, you have to
pay attention to every detail and have
knowledge in rundown management.
Prepare for irregular
working hours
My main duties include building company
profile, preparing scripts for cold-calling,
looking for old and new clients, making on-
spot productions, finding suppliers in Singa-
pore, thinking of the themes for different
events etc. You have to be prepared for ir-
regular working hours. There was once I had
to work from 6am to 2am the next morning.
The
challenge
would be the Singapo-
rean accent. For example,
they pronounced “theme” as
“team”. I was told by my super-
visor to ask my clients, “do you
have a “team” right now?” The
first thing you think of would
be a group of people. But
she was meaning the
idea.
Was GPA important to
get into university or
your extra-curricular
activities?
GPA is the most important. Try your best
in every semester. Actually there are
many people who overlook the last se-
mester of Year 2. I got the ES offer on
the 8th of August. It’s a quite late offer.
So for those whose CGPA is not as high
as others or are not sure if they can get
an offer at an early stage, they should
try to get a CGPA as high as they can.
What kinds of questions
did they ask you during
the interview?
At the Lingnan University interview,
the questions startled me. They asked
me, “Which course do you like most
or least?” So, if you didn’t look at
courses they provide, then you will
not be able to answer their questions.
Is a portfolio important
for me to get into the
university?
Yes, it is. It was an electronic ver-
sion. I used Wix.com. It is a very use-
ful website as it provides many tem-
plates. You do not need any computer
skills to create the website. Most pro-
grammes do not require for you to sub-
mit a portfolio as it is not compulsory.
In my opinion, creating an e-portfolio
does not take up a lot of time, so why not
go for an e-portfolio? Many people think
it’s a waste of time, but I think it is not true.
I guess
for my programme
(Media and Commu-
nication), CGPA is the
most important.
How did AAEPC helped
you get into university,
in your opinion?
AAEPC is related to Public Relations
things, such as corporate writing and
communications. I think these are also in-
cluded in the curriculum of MDCM so it
helps a lot. Another thing is that there is a
special course called “Digital Document
Design”. In this course, you are required
to create a personal portfolio using dif-
ferent software. And so, by this, not only
it helps you create a portfolio that is
very presentable to your interviewers
but also you know what you have done
in these two years of associate degree.
What qualities does the
Media and Communica-
tion (MDCM) look for?
MDCM is basically looking for people
who know how to express themselves
in many ways. For example, right now, I
am doing more in the broadcast stream
so maybe I’m better at speaking in
front of the camera and communicat-
ing with others. But there are students
good at writing and doing visual image.
Take
the IELTS.
Don’t take it at the
late stage. The best
time is to take it on the
summer holiday in year
1 so you would have
enough time to have a
second attempt.
HOW
Do
YOU
IT
!!
TO
BE
THE
BEST
NAME:
Alex Ling Ho Lun
EDUCATION:
BA in English Studies
(Year 3)
INTERNSHIP TITLE:
Editorial intern at HK
Magazine
(Hong Kong)
NAME:
Erica Tang Hei Tung
EDUCATION:
BA in English Studies
(Year 4)
INTERNSHIP TITLE:
Events and weddings intern at
The Flying Dutchman
(Singapore)
NAME:
Nicky Chan
(Year 3/Advanced
Standing II)
EDUCATION:
BA in English Studies
Associate of Arts
in English for Professional
Communication
CGPA: 3.3~
NAME:
Cheung Yang
Tung Cherry
(Year 3/ Advanced
Standing II)
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Arts in Media and
Communication
Associate of Arts in English for
Professional
Communication
CGPA: 3.6~
u
v UNI&INTERN TIPS
10
7. v
Column
for
Creativity
The act of waiting
has been practiced
over the ages,
and patience has been
elevated into a virtue
in this process. As Eliza-
beth Taylor put it, “It is
strange that the years
teach us patience; that
the shorter our time, the
greater our capacity for
waiting.” We acquire a
certain skill of waiting as
we grow up and mature.
The art of waiting can
be expressed in many
ways, and that is why
we chose ‘waiting’ as
a central theme for the
Creative Column. The
competition was held
between 12th March to
23rd March where we
received many great
submissions - from poetry
to short stories. As we
promised, three lucky
winners will have their
work published. The fol-
lowing pieces have been
chosen by the judges as
the most outstanding.
On behalf of the ENS
Newsletter Subcommit-
tee, we want to take this
opportunity to express
our sincere apprecia-
tion to Dr. Jordan Peter
Edward Rees. Thank
you for taking time out
of your busy schedule
to judge and comment
on the three best works.
We are well aware
that judging the pieces
and commenting on
them took quite some
time on your part. It
means a lot to us that
you are willing to take
on additional tasks
in order to make this
creative writing column
a reality. Once again,
thank you for your time
and we are glad you
enjoyed the submitted
pieces of work.
Introduction by James Lam
and Sheryle Lai
WINNERS
---- Angela Shui --- Johnathan Ho --- Sheryle Lai ----
Topic:Waiting For...
Dr. Jordan Peter Edward
Rees’ comments:
I like this poem very
much because it is simply
written, yet profound. It
evokes the horror of a
car crash, but also the
fascination of observ-
ers and the final part
reflects on the victims,
with the writer imagining
herself to be the victim.
The very first line ‘I’m
tempted’ gives a feel-
ing of transgression, as
though we should not
linger on the details of
such things, and yet we
do. That provokes in the
reader (or at least in
this reader!) the reflec-
tion that death repels
and fascinates us. We
all know it is ultimately
inevitable, and yet
we also yearn to go
on living in the minds
of others (‘how I’d be
remembered’), but that
finally we will be for-
gotten. It is a downbeat
conclusion, but so gently,
almost casually, stated,
it has a real impact. The
constant repetition of
phrases helps to build up
a momentum to this final
impact. I think I liked this
I’m tempted
To see how the car crashes and turns into debris
To see how I shut my eyes tight
To hear the sound of glass breaking into pieces
To hear the silent prayers crying for a second chance
To feel the pounding of my heartbeat
To feel how the broken pieces pierce through my skin,
and cracks through my bones
To feel the blood in my veins comes bursting out,
and running down from the ruined flesh — still half fresh and alive
To feel the one last grasp for breath
To see how I’d be remembered
To see how I’d be mourned
To see how I’d be forgotten
CarCrash
AngelaShui
(Year3,BAELST)
piece best of all.
v WRITING COMP
13
uu
8. v
Silence
JohnathanHo
(Year2,aAEpc)
Silence speaks,
Silence squeals,
Silence shouts, the loudest word,
That leaves me behind unheard!
Silence breaks,
Silence takes,
Silence drives me around the bend till the end,
What is the matter, I do not understand!
Silence means, that there would be hope,
But of that, I cannot cope.
Silence means, you need more time,
Sour lemon, bitter lime!
Silence pierces through my heart,
What is left, two souls apart!
Silence cuts, through my blood,
Then, I drench, sink and flood.
Silence destroys,
Not only boys;
Silence reveals,
What lacks, is real!
Dr. Jordan Peter Edward
Rees’ comments:
I like the interest-
ing use of exclamation
marks, that make the
lines almost seem to be
shouting through the
‘silence’. Such ‘silence’
‘shouts’ and is ‘the loud-
est word’ and yet the
author is ‘unheard’. The
poem hints at a personal
and painful break-up of
a relationship, when all
communication has been
reduced to heavy silenc-
es leading to the ironic
and pessimistic conclu-
sion: ‘Silence reveals /
What lacks, is real.’ The
use of a simple rhyming
structure belies the seri-
ous content of the poem.
CoffeeShopDays
SheryleLai
(Year1,aAEpc)
Found in the drawers of my ancestral home:
Memories are tricky and evasive. They slip through your fingers when you grasp them, but they are
always there, lying on the shores of your consciousness, waiting. When a wave of thought comes through, some
of them may come to surface. But some will be forever lost in the depths of your mind.
I remember before all this, all this hectic madness, I used to stop by this little coffee shop that was a five-
minute walk away from home. The coffee shop was vintage and petite, frilly curtains hanging from the win-
dow rods and “The Beatles” record looping on the gramophone. Old school booths stretched out carelessly on
either side of the shop; tables and chairs of dark oak spread neatly yet asymmetrically across the checkered
tiles, as chess pieces would on a chessboard.
Every time I stepped into the coffee shop, the smell of Arabic coffee slipped under my nose and its
lustrous aroma filled my lungs. I would always find my way to the cosiest booth in the corner. My favourite
waitress will then came over, her blonde shoulder length hair swaying gently from the mild gusts from the ceil-
ing fans. I never knew her name, or maybe I did once but I have forgotten it since.
I remember when I sat with my coffee that I was waiting for someone. Something, maybe, I do not know. But
it was important that I wait for it. And so I sat and downed the single serving of the Al-Qahwa from my own
tiny fenjan cup.
The occasional automobile would pass by. I would watch the world go by in a dreamy summery haze.
I could go on for hours. The mellow sweetness of the candied dates and the caffeine was a spiritual sanctuary.
A place of solitude and peace with saffron and cinnamon.
But then everything changed. Cars streaked by, leaving nothing but lots of noise and flying dust. All I could
see were flashes of reds, blues, and whites. No one drank their coffee in the store anymore. They would run
in and get their coffee in a fancy paper cup and run out. We were no longer allowed to wait for anything.
Everything has to be done and accomplished now, promptly, immediately, straightaway, pronto, all at once.
At some point, my favourite waitress went and never came back, without a trace nor a farewell. The
wallpaper faded and curled up at the edges. Cracks spiked across the tiles, creeping outwards like spiders
weaving web. And now no one is there to brew coffee for my tiny fenjan cup, now with a small chip at its
edge.
Dr. Jordan Peter Edward
Rees’ comments:
This piece is very
evocative, recalling a
fond memory and at
the same time acknowl-
edging the unreliability
of memory. There is a
strong sense of time past
and change through
time, and yet the memo-
ry, even with all its
unreliability, is still vivid
and real. The physical
description of the cafe’s
interior and sensory de-
scriptions of smelling and
drinking the coffee build
up a rich picture, but
then the author suggests
that the real significance
of the memory and why
it has lasted might be
because someone or
something was
awaited. The waiting is
remembered, but not the
reason for waiting. I also
liked the final line: even
the ever-present ‘tiny
fenjan cup’ now has ‘a
chip at its edge’ and will
eventually, we presume,
disappear with time.
Designed by Joseph Tai
uu
9. v
The 24th English Society Executive Committee, City University of Hong Kong Students’ Union
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