B2
PART B2
Read Text 3 and answer questions 35 - 48 on pages 8 - 10 of the Question-Answer Book for Part B2.
Text 3
All options are open': Will Gaza join the uprising?
[1] Gaza Strip - Along with his father and
brother, 17-year-old Abdullah Hassan rushed
to his uncle's home on Sunday to find a
smoking pile of rubble and mangled steel.
5 [2] We didn't see anyone, but I heard a
voice from under the home, Hassan told Al
Jazeera.
[3] Situated on the southern outskirts of
Gaza City, the Hassan family home was
10 destroyed by an Israeli air strike, leaving dead
Abdullah's pregnant aunt, 30-year-old Noor
Hassan, and her three-year-old daughter Rahaf.
[4] Abdullah and the others dug out Yahya,
Noor's husband, and another toddler, from
15 under the home. Both were badly injured.
[5] After rockets fired from Gaza landed in
an empty field in southern Israel before dawn
on Sunday, Israel carried out two air strikes in
the Strip, claiming to have hit two Hamas arms
20 factories.
[6] Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, an
Israeli army spokesman, said the army holds
Hamas responsible for any act of aggression
from the Gaza Strip.
25 [7] But the immense crater where the Hassan
family home used to stand suggests it was hit
directly by the air strike.
[8] The deadly attack came on the heels of a
wave of Palestinian protests triggered by the
30 provocative storming of al-Aqsa Mosque
compound in occupied East Jerusalem, the
third holiest site in Islam, by extremist Jewish
groups.
[9] Long-standing anger over harsh
35 restrictions on Palestinians that touch almost
every part of their lives, Israeli settlement
expansion and impunity for Israeli soldiers and
2017-ENG-JAN-P1-RP-6 6
DIFFICULT
SECTION
settlers who kill Palestinians, among other
grievances, have boiled over into more than a
40 week of protests and violent responses by
Israeli soldiers and police.
[10] It has quickly spread throughout the
occupied West Bank and Palestinian
communities in Israel.
45 [11] Since October 1, four Israelis have been
killed in attacks allegedly carried out by
Palestinians, while at least 68 others have been
injured in stabbing incidents.
[12] The Israeli crackdown has been harsh.
50 Gas bombs, stun grenades, rubber-coated steel
bullets and live ammunition have been fired on
protesters across Israel and the occupied
Palestinian territory.
[13] More than 1,400 Palestinians have been
55 injured by live ammunition or rubber-coated
steel bullets, according to the Palestinian
Authority's Ministry of Health.
[14] The violence reached Gaza when
protests broke out on the border on Friday.
60 Since then, Israel has killed 11 Palestinians in
the coastal enclave.
[15] On Friday, the Israeli army killed seven
Palestinians across Gaza as protesters moved
towards the border fence. The following day,
65 two Palestinian boys - 12-year-old Marwan
Barbakh and 15-year-old Khalil Othman - were
shot dead during protests in the border area of
Khan Younes.
[16] We are in the early stages of a new cycle
70 of violence between Palestinians and Israel.
After what happened this weekend [in Gaza], I
don't imagine people here are going to sit down
quietly, Mukhaimer Abu Saada, a political
science professor at Gaza's al-Azhar University,
75 told Al Jazeera.
[17] Speaking in Gaza on Friday, Hamas
leader Ismail Haniya declared a new Intifada,
or uprising, and called for the strengthening
and increasing of the Intifada. It is the only
80 path that will lead to liberation, Haniyeh said.
[18] According to Abu Saada, the leader's
comments mark a changing point and answered
questions about whether Gaza would be able to
partake in a prolonged uprising.
85 [19] Unlike when the second Intifada ended
in 2004, Israel has since besieged the Strip
from land, air and sea and launched three major
wars on the densely-populated territory - in
2008, 2012 and 2014.
90 [20] The latest war spanned 51 days last
summer and left Gaza in shambles. At the
height of the war, hundreds of thousands of
civilians were displaced.
[21] Due to the strict Israeli and Egyptian
95 blockade limiting the amount of construction
materials and humanitarian aid that enters Gaza,
more than 12,000 homes remain levelled for
reconstructing until today.
[27] We salute our heroic brothers in the
125 West Bank and call on them to carry out more
operations, Abu Sayyaf continued. As far as
how Gaza's armed groups will respond, he said:
"No decision has been taken yet. All options
remain open."
130 [28] On Sunday, hundreds of Palestinians
came out to bury Noor and Rahaf Hassan. They
marched in central Gaza, carrying Rahaf's
small body through the streets and waving
Palestinian flags.
135 [29] Speaking to Al Jazeera at the funeral,
Majdiya Hassan, Rahaf's grandmother, called
on political factions to do whatever it takes
to avenge their deaths. My message to the
resistance: May God let them triumph, she
140 said.
[30] Umm Sabri, another relative, added: We
want to tell the Israelis that our dead are
martyrs. We will continue to fight. We will
continue to support the resistance. Behind her,
145 Noor and the child were lowered into the
ground.

[22] The Palestinian resistance in Gaza has

100 made it clear that it is very much ready to be
part of the Intifada, said Abu Saada. What
exactly Gaza's role in the uprising will look like, END OF PART B2
however, remains unclear, because it's still too
early to know, Abu Saada explained. Reading Source:

105 [23] According to Benedetta Berti, a security

fellow at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for
Part B2 - Aljazeera
National Security Studies, given the separation
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/10/op
between Gaza and Israel and due to the Israeli-
imposed siege, the tools of political protests tions-open-gaza-join-palestine-uprising-israel-
110 people in Gaza can use are limited. 151013110125509.html

[24] Border protests like those organised last

weekend are an option, however, Israel's END OF ALL READING PASSAGES
response has been extremely costly and
dangerous for demonstrators, Berti said.

115 [25] Abu Sayyaf, a senior member of al-

Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, an armed group
with close ties to Hamas, insists that Gaza's
fighters are ready for any potential escalation.

[26] Other factions should declare a third

120 Intifada, he told Al Jazeera. "Honestly, the 51-
day war on Gaza last summer did not worry the
[Israeli] occupiers as much as the operations
taking place in the West Bank right now."
2017-ENG-JAN-P1-RP-7 7
 B2
DIFFICULT SECTION

Read Text 3 and answer questions 35 48. (33 marks)

35. Abdullahs uncles home was

A. disappeared
B. eradicated
C. intact A B C D
D. rooted

36. Abdullahs aunt Noor was

A. killed
B. hurt
C. a mother of two kids A B C D
D. buried

37. What is the full name of Abdullahs Uncle?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

38. Based on the information in paragraphs 1 5, complete the following summary. Use ONE word to complete each blank.
You should make sure that your answers are grammatically correct and pay attention to word form. (4 marks)

Israeli air strikes in Gaza turned homes of many Palestinians into (i) . Israeli (ii) that
the attacks have hit two arms factories. In an attack, a woman called Noor Hassan was (iii) . His
husband was also (iv) .

39. Read paragraphs 6 9 and decide whether the following statements are true (T), false (F), or not given (NG).
(4 marks)
a)
a) Hassans home was destroyed by the Hamas
b)
b) The Israeli army thinks that Hamas is responsible for every attack in Israel
c) Al-Aqsa Mosque is sacred for the Jewish extremists. c)
d) The Israeli forces actively suppressed the Palestinians in all areas.
d)

40. In paragraph 9, find a word which means free from punishment.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

2017-ENG-JAN-P1-QA-8 8
41. Why protests and violent responses of the Palestinian spread so fast in Israel? State two reasons. (2 marks)

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

42. Read paragraphs 11 15 and decide whether the following statements are true (T), false (F), or not given (NG).
(4 marks) a)

a) At least 20 Palestinians were killed in recent waves of protest. b)

b) Only deadly weapons have been used by the Isreali Force.
c)
c) Gas bombs and stun grenades injured hundreds of Palestinians.
d) Palestinians were crashed only in the Israeli territory. d)

43. According to Mukhaimer Abu Saada and Ismail Haniya, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?

A. Recent violence between the Palestinians and the Israelis is going to end soon.
B. Palestinians and violence of Israel acts were interlinked.
C. Hamas believes that escalation is the only solution for liberating the Palestinians. A B C D
D. Hamas plan of Intifada responses to the attack in Gaza.

44. Based on the information given in paragraphs 17 22, complete the following text by writing only ONE word to fill in
each blank. You should make sure that your answers are grammatically correct and pay attention to word form.

(6 marks)

Recent Hamas (i) has (ii) a changing point. According to Professor Mukhaimer Abu
Saada, this proves that Gaza is (iii) to support a prolonged uprising. Before this speech, people
generally believed Gaza lacked this ability, as Gaza was (iv) three times since 2004. Yet, Abu Saada
believes the exact role of Gaza is yet to (v) .

45. In Benedetta Bertis point of view, is conventional protest an effectively means for people in Gaza? Should they escalate
their actions? Give reasons to support your answers. (2 marks )

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

46. Read paragraphs 25 27 and decide whether the following statements are true (T), false (F), or not given (NG).
(3 marks) a)

a) Arm groups affiliated to Hamas are ready to strike back. b)

b) Violent attack is one option of the armed group.
c)
c) Israeli groups perceived war as something worrying.

2017-ENG-JAN-P1-QA-9 9
47. To the Hassan Family, are they afraid of wars and deaths? Find one clue to support your answers. (2 marks)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

48. What is the attitude of the journalist towards the Palestinians?

A. indifferent
B. pessimistic
C. sympathetic A B C D
D. antipathetic

END OF PART B2

2017-ENG-JAN-P1-QA-10 10
Part B2 (33 marks)

35. B

36. A

37. Yahya Hassan

38.
i.rubbles
ii.claimed
iii.dead
iv.injured

39.
a) F
b) NG
c) F
d) T

40. Impunity

41. Palestinians long-standing anger over harsh restrictions that touched

almost every part of their lives/Expansion of Israeli settlement
/Impunity for Israeli soldiers and settlers who kill Palestinians (Any 2,
@1 marks)

42.
a) T
b) F
c) NG
d) F

43. A

44.
i.declaration
ii.marked
iii.ready
iv. besieged
v. be known.

45. No, it will not be useful as their tools are limited (because of the
separation between Gaza and Israel and due to the Israeli-imposed
siege). They should not escalate their actions as it will be costly and
dangerous.

46.
a) T
b) T
c) NG

47. No. They thought the dead are martyrs/political factions should do
whatever it takes to avenge their deaths

48. C
 2016 HKAACA MOCK
DSE ENGLISH WRITING (PAPER 2)
SELECTED QUESTION

Learning English through Social Issues

The rate of unexpected pregnancy is getting higher in Hong Kong. Write an article for
the school magazine to discuss the reasons why teenagers nowadays are lacking of
sex knowledge. Suggest some actions to be taken by your school.

5** Sample Essay

It is not uncommon to see news about abandoning just-born babies in our society
nowadays and this social phenomenon has alarmed the public to pay more attention
on teenage expected pregnancy. With regard to the fast-growing rate of unexpected
pregnancy in Hong Kong, it is worth to explore more on this topic by knowing the
reasons behind, together with some suggestions of possible solution. Lacking of sex
knowledge has always been the greatest blaming for such kind of issue; therefore, the
focus of this article will be why teenagers nowadays are sex-ignorant. Another
emphasis is the recommended follow up actions that could be taken by school to deal
with this problem.

Deficient sex education is an undeniable fact that makes teenagers to be ignorant

in sex. To start with, it is important to understand what is sex education. This subject
is not just a biological one. What it covers is not only physical issues like functions of
sex organs or the process of sexual intercourse, but also about moral conceptions such
as values of relationship and decision-making. Furthermore, it also includes topics
regarding to the consequence, like sexual pleasure, contraception and sexual
transmitted disease.

Parents switching off the television when some sex scenes appear is not unfamiliar
to children. Sex, the all-time taboo in many countries of different cultures, is not
being discussed openly and freely in most of the families in the world. This is the
major contributing factor to sexual illiteracy. Parents or guardians are the most
intimate groups of people to teenagers and they should be the one to provide sex
education to their children at early stage. They are the most influential coach to
children, so if they skip the topic on sex education, the kids will know nothing about
that. Adults are usually embarrassed when reaching this topic, or some of them may
think that is immoral to bring it into the agenda. They may also skip that because they
think that it is the responsibility of the school instead. What is more, some parents
may even be afraid that sex education would actually, in a counter productive point of
view, encourage adolescents to engage in sexual activity. It should not be overlooked
that, some traditional parents may also be sex uneducated so that they are not able to
teach their children. Such avoidance of family sex education is the most significant
factor for sex-ignorant teenagers.
 Due to the absence of family sex education, curious young adults are trying to
explore on the topic of sex in other ways. Thanks to the advanced development of
information technology, teenagers are able to get access easily on any type of
information, anytime and anywhere. Websites of pornography are exposed to people
of any age, which is undoubtedly a depraved demonstration of sex education. Besides,
media also plays a crucial role in providing misconception of sex education to the
youth. In todays world, sex elements are filling up the advertisement, TV
programmes or movies. This will make the youngster further expose to the issue
about sex and may even arouse their interest towards sex. The level of sex knowledge
of the youth will not be improved since there are misconceptions in the media.

With respect to these reasons mentioned above, the following part of this article
will include some suggestion for the school to deal with this situation. First of all is to
include a proper sex education compulsorily within the syllabus throughout the school
year rather than just a few talks or distributing some leaflets. The schedule of local
school are normally tough and exam-oriented, yet the importance of sex education
cannot be overlooked. The teachers responsible for this agenda ought not to be
embarrassed and avoid the essence of sex education too. It is also crucial that the
attitude of school should not be too subjective that offers a burden to teenagers. For
example, in catholic schools, chastity and virtuousness are emphasized whereas other
schools are providing concepts of contraception. No matter what, young adults who
receive the sex education should not be biased and be affected when making further
decision about sexual activity.

The communication between school and parents pays too. The school should also
encourage parents to take part deal with the problem since it is a joint-responsibility.
The situation of unexpected pregnancy may be solved if both schools and parents
observe and care about the teenagers more at early stage. If adults identify the doubts
and misconceptions of adolescents, they can be clarified promptly and the problem
can be prevented.

Sex education is the key in the issue of unexpected pregnancy. Adults should not
avoid themselves in talking part of this for their next generation. After all, youngsters
should not be the only one to blamed on after the problem has actually happened
because they are ignorant. This brings to an end of this article that education is always
the key to solve undesirable social phenomenon.
 2017 HKAACA MOCK
DSE ENGLISH WRITING (PAPER 2)
SELECTED QUESTION

Learning English through Popular Culture

You are a fan of the game Pokmon Go. Some critics argue that people are too
addicted to this game and it causes a lot of accidents. Write an argumentative essay to
support your act. You may point out the benefits of playing this game.

5** Sample Essay

To name the hottest issues in 2016, the game of Pokmon Go must be one of them.
It has gained a huge success around the globe with its newly introduced location-
based augmented reality feature. What is more, it is free of charge to download in
every mobile device. After its first release in July, it has become the most used
application as it has been globally downloaded for more than 500 million times.
Whereas the critics are worried about the accidents aroused by this game, there are
still numerous benefits in terms of personal health, social relations and economics.

The major advantage of playing Pokmon Go is, undoubtedly, its promotion of

physical outdoor activities. As it requires the players to locate themselves at different
places in the real world to achieve victory of the game, it encourages people to
exercise more. Gamers who used to stay at home for video games, are forced to get
out of their houses to explore around the neighbourhood in order to catch more
Pokmon. This is really good for some hermit teens who are always not willing to
step out of their rooms to get some fresh air and sunshine. Having a little walk outside
is already an ideal exercise for non-sportive people. Apart from physical health, going
to an outdoor environment is also beneficial to mental health since staying in a
concealed and stuffy place is actually harmful for our brain and emotion. Therefore,
promoting personal health is obviously the most powerful benefit of playing Pokmon
Go.

Another important contributing pro of this game is that it develops social

connection between people. Its great popularity made everyone discuss about the
game, sharing tips or special skills and became a common topic among the
community. This contributes to a promotion of social interaction between one another
in the society, thus improves our affiliation with family and friends. It is observed that
the youth started to introduce and teach the adults about the game, and it is not
uncommon to see parents taking their children out to walk around and seek for
Pokmon. Thanks to this app, family time is well spent and parental relations are
bonded more tightly. Friendship is of the same case, hanging out with friends for new
Pokmon in different places has become a fun activity among teenagers, new friends
can also be met due to the game. Cultivating interpersonal relationship is an
additional benefit of Pokmon Go.
 The third considerable outcome of this game is about economic growth.
Unquestionably, such shocking success of this mobile application made a huge profit
to its developer, Niantic, Nintendo and The Pokmon Company. Apart from its free-
to-play mode, players can actually pay for more useful tools inside the game. It is also
predictable that with players mobility, local business will grow accordingly. For
example, in this summer, many players of Pokmon Go went to travel around Hong
Kong Island by means of taking trams, since the speed of tram enables players to get
more items for the game. It also encourages people to dine out more as they are not
staying at home anymore.

Last but not least, controversy grew since people were all heads down into the
game and not aware of their surrounding. Danger aroused and accidents occurs when
people are so much into the world of Pokmon. Crushing into other pedestrians or
even got hit by vehicles are possible tragedy, which worrying critics are alert of.
Moreover, public nuisance is happened since a large amount of players assembled at a
certain place for a powerful Pokmon. Like the example of tram as mentioned, most
of the trams are fully packed with gamers that caused inconvenience to normal
passengers. Such drawbacks of the game are indeed attracting concern from the
society, this requires attention and self-disciplines from the players are essential to the
solution.

This leads to a conclusion of this essay that the most popular mobile game in 2016,
Pokmon Go, is actually benefiting our personal health, social connections and
economic growth. Whereas some drawbacks are worth to be noticed, it is still a good
leisure for people to spend time on.

SUMMER MOCK
DSE ENGLISH
AUG 2017

Tailor-made for #DSE2018ers

CHECK IT OUT!
www.hkaaca.org
Liberal Studies 2016 MOCK Paper 1

1. Consider the following information:

Source A: A survey on Hong Kong peoples sense of identity

Hong Kong Chinese Hong Hong Kong Chinese Hard to Say
Date of Survey
Citizen Kong Citizen Chinese Citizen Citizen /Dont Know
20/6/2012 45.6% 22.8% 11.5% 18.3% 0.7%

13/6/2008 18.1% 29.2% 13.3% 38.6% 0.7%

27/8/1997 34.9% 24.8% 20.1% 18.6% 1.3%

Source: Excerpt of HKUPOP

Source B: Excerpt of the news report of a newspaper

The Hong Kong-Mainland conflicts in recent years have aroused a debate over our identity in society.
As the Hong Kong-Mainland conflicts intensified, some internet users initiated 10,000 People Encircling
the Liaison Office. During the demonstration, some people took out the flags of the colonial era. Pro-
establishment, pro-Beijing people and Mainland officials tried to appeal to Hong Kong people not support
the "Hong Kong independence". In a recent research of Chinese University of Hong Kong, the proportion
of Hong Kong citizens feeling themselves Chinese has hit the lowest in 16 years. More and more
interviewees feel themselves Hong Kong citizens. The younger the interviewees, the more recognition of
themselves as Hong Kong citizens. The number of people resisting the national flag and anthem has
increased.

As the number of people feeling themselves Chinese is hitting the lowest, there are comments that if the
government wants to raise the sense of identity of Hong Kong citizens towards China, there should not be
compulsory introduction of similar subjects like the Moral and National Education last year, or various
forms of National Education. Instead, it should resolve the Hong Kong-Mainland conflicts, such as
making the lifestyles of the two places more similar, and avoiding the confrontations between the people
in Hong Kong and China.

a. Compare the data of Hong Kong citizens sense of identity shown in Source A. (4 marks)

b. Implementing National Education to raise Hong Kong citizens identify as Chinese citizens is
palliative. Do you agree with this view? Explain your answer with reference to Sources A and B and
your own knowledge. (8 marks)

1a. (4 marks)
Suggested Marking Guidelines Marks
The candidate:
l compares accurately and comprehensively the data about Hong Kong peoples 4
sense of identity shown in Source A, e.g., between 1997 and 2012, there had been
changes in Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as Hong Kong Citizens and as
Chinese Citizens; the sense of identity as Hong Kong Citizens is higher than
that of Chinese Citizens
l compares accurately the data about Hong Kong peoples sense of identity shown 2-3
in Source A, but the comparison is too partial
l describes some of the data about Hong Kong peoples sense of identity shown in 1
Source A, but makes no attempt to make comparison
l makes no attempt to answer the question 0
l gives an answer which is not relevant to the question

1b.
Suggested Marking Guidelines Marks
The candidate:
l presents his / her stance clearly and consistently 7-8
l justifies clearly and logically he / she agrees with the statement; formulates his /
her arguments on the basis of a detailed and critical evaluation regarding
perspectives for and against the statement and the limitations of the evidence
shown in Sources A and B; shows an in-depth understanding and an appropriate
application of the relevant knowledge and concepts and the relevant points in
Sources A and B, e.g.:

Points of agreement: explains clearly and in detail his / her arguments with relevant
and valid examples; may construct arguments by drawing upon
some of the points below or any other appropriate alternatives,
e.g.,
n National Education can raise Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as
Chinese Citizens for a while but the effect would not last;
n though National Education would increase citizens understanding of their
country, it would not increase their sense of identity as Chinese Citizens;
n National Education would not change the difference between Hong Kong and
China and it could hardly raise Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as
Chinese Citizens

Points of agreement: explains clearly and in detail his / her arguments with relevant
and valid examples; may construct arguments by drawing upon
some of the points below or any other appropriate alternatives,
e.g.,
n National Education can raise Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as
Chinese citizens;
n National Education could slowly resolve the conflicts between people in
Hong Kong and the mainland;
 n National Education can effectively resolve the Hong Kong-Mainland conflict
and can increase the Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as Chinese
Citizens

l provides a well-structured, in-depth discussion, demonstrating a high level of

critical analysis
l presents his / her stance consistently 5-6
l justifies the extent of his / her position, basing answer on his / her knowledge;
shows an understanding of the relevant knowledge and concepts and an ability to
apply them where appropriate:

Points of agreement: explains his / her arguments with some relevant and valid
examples / observations of Hong Kong; may construct
arguments by drawing upon some of the points above or any
other appropriate alternatives

Points of disagreement: explains his / her arguments with some relevant and valid
examples / observations of Hong Kong; may construct
arguments by drawing upon some of the points above or any
other appropriate alternatives

l provides a well-structured discussion, demonstrating some evidence of critical

analysis, though it might lack detail in parts
l presents his / her stance, but possibly with insufficient clarity 3-4
l attempts to justify his / her position by basing answer on his / her knowledge, but
lacks clarity / consistency; shows a partial understanding or is only able to apply
relevant knowledge and concepts in a basic way:

Points of agreement: attempts to construct arguments by drawing upon some of the

points above or any other appropriate alternatives, but the
explanation in support of his / her arguments is superficial

Points of disagreement: attempts to construct arguments by drawing upon some of the

points above or any other appropriate alternatives, but the
explanation in support of his / her arguments is superficial

l provides a somewhat shallow discussion, which is not well structured and does not
always articulate his / her ideas clearly
l exhibits no clear stance and may put forward contradictory arguments 1-2
l attempts to explain his / her position according to his / her knowledge (with or
without referring to the source), but the explanation is too partial, e.g., having a
wrong understanding about the contents of National Education, using irrelevant
examples / information for illustration, etc.
l gives a shallow discussion with little organization / without focus; expresses his /
her ideas vaguely
l makes no attempt to answer the question 0
l gives an answer which is not relevant to the question

Paper 1 5** Essay

1(b)
Stance: Disagree

The frequent fluctuations in Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as Chinese Citizens are due to the
differences between the mainland and Hong Kong. If the Hong Kong government promotes National
Education in primary and secondary schools, it could help Hong Kong citizens understand Chinese culture
and could subsequently increase their sense of identity as Chinese Citizens. It could also reduce the conflicts
between Hong Kong and the mainland. Therefore I disagree that implementing National Education to raise
Hong Kong citizens identity as Chinese citizens is scratching the surface of the problem.

First and foremost, National Education would raise Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as Chinese citizens
and it is not scratching the surface of the problem. The HKSAR government would report positive events
about the mainland through media so that when Hong Kong citizens learn more about the news, it would be
more likely for them to feel proud of being Chinese Citizens and could more easily identify themselves as
Chinese Citizens. For instance, Source A shows that 38.6% of Hong Kong citizens identified themselves as
Chinese Citizens in 2008, which was even higher than that of Hong Kong Citizens. This was due to the
medias coverage of Chinas success in organizing the Beijing Olympics. As Hong Kong citizens witnessed
the outstanding performance of Chinese athletes among international competitors, they were proud of being
Chinese Citizens and their sense of identity as Chinese Citizens also increased. Therefore, National
Education is effective.

Furthermore, National Education could resolve the conflicts between people in Hong Kong and the mainland
and is not scratching the surface of the problem. The government could introduce to Hong Kong citizens the
culture and social changes of the mainland through National Education, so as to let them have a more
comprehensive understanding about the needs of mainlanders and hence change Hong Kong citizens deeply-
rooted negative impressions of mainlanders. When Hong Kong citizens are willing to understand them, it
could strengthen the connection between Hong Kong citizens and mainlanders and reduce the conflicts
between Hong Kong and the mainland. It could therefore raise Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as
Chinese Citizens.

Last but not least, National Education can effectively resolve the Hong Kong-Mainland conflicts and can
increase Hong Kong teenagers sense of identity as Chinese Citizens. Therefore, it is not scratching the
surface of the problem. The governments implementation of National Education is advantageous to the next
generation in understanding the history of China and in nurturing their affection for the country so that they
are more willing to defend the interest of the country. For instance, some Hong Kong citizens went to Diaoyu
Islands to defend the sovereignty of China, which proved that they were patriotic and shared a common goal
with the mainlanders. Thereby, by implementing National Education and raising Hong Kong teenagers sense
of identity as Chinese Citizens, the government could increase cooperation between Hong Kong and China
and reduce conflicts between the two parties.

Nevertheless, some people said that National Education could not raise Hong Kong citizens sense of identity
as Chinese Citizens. This sense of identity often declines at times when there are events that show the
discrepancies between the core value of China and that of Hong Kong, such as the poisoned formula powder
scandal, the imprisonment of dissidents and violent treatment of reporters. All of these actions made Hong
Kong citizens feel repulsed by the identity as Chinese Citizens. National Education could not resolve the
conflicts between people in the two regions, so it is scratching the surface of the problem. However, I disagree
with this view because National Education could provide a channel for Hong Kong citizens to understand
Chinas development. While it allows the citizens to learn about the current negative image of the country, it
allows them to understand the development process and that the Chinese government is dealing with injustice
in society at the same time. This would increase Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as Chinese Citizens.

All in all, the above arguments illustrate the effects of National Education and explain why I disagree that
implementing National Education to raise Hong Kong citizens sense of identity as Chinese citizens is
scratching the surface of the problem.
 Liberal Studies
Mock Exam 2017
Paper 2 Extended-response Questions
Answer ONE question only.
1.
Source A: An extract from a newspaper commentary in 2015

The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Constitution should protect the right of same-sex couples to
marriage. This means that same-sex marriage would be legalised in 14 states where it is currently banned. To
celebrate the court decision, Facebook users around the world and several local celebrities applied a rainbow
filter, which symbolises the LGBT movement, to their profile picture. Legislator Chan Chi-chuen wrote on
Facebook, Marriage is a human right, not a privilege for heterosexuals.

Source B: An extract from an online commentary in 2015

The US Supreme Courts decision to legalise same-sex marriage has triggered heated debate in Hong Kong.
According to a declaration issued by the Family School Sexual Orientation Discrimination Ordinance
Concern Group, the legalisation of same-sex marriage should be endorsed by the legislature instead of being
decided by the court. The concern group also claimed that the legalisation of same-sex marriage would alter
educational and welfare systems, and deprive citizens of their freedom.

Ho Wan-see, co-founder of the BigLove Alliance, commented that the judgement was a milestone for LGBT
movements around the world. Nevertheless, she believed that it would be difficult to demand LGBT rights
in Hong Kong, since the government had been indifferent to the introduction of the Sexual Orientation
Discrimination Ordinance and civil unions for same-sex couples.

(a) Explain the impacts on traditional concepts of the family if the same-sex marriage is legalized in Hong
Kong. (10 marks)

(b) What would you consider to be the barriers to achieving consensus among major stakeholders on
legalizing same-sex marriage in Hong Kong? Explain your answer. (10 marks)
 Liberal Studies
Mock Exam 2017
Paper 2 Extended-response Questions --- Marking Scheme

1a.
Suggested Marking Guidelines Marks
The candidate:
l identifies and explains clearly and in detail, with an in-depth and
9-10
comprehensive analysis in view of the current situation in Hong Kong, the
impacts that same-sex marriage may have on traditional concepts of the
family; shows the appropriate application of relevant knowledge and concepts
(e.g., family ethics, filial piety, structure of traditional Chinese families); may
draw upon some of the points below or any other appropriate alternatives,
e.g.,:
n same-sex couples cannot carry out the reproduction function, which is
important to traditional Chinese families;
n the role of father or mother is missing in families formed by same-sex
couples, which may affect childrens growth;
n same-sex marriage challenges patriarchal authority by upsetting the
structure of traditional families.
n same-sex couples have blurred family roles, which may cause
embarrassment and harm relationships between family members.
Conflicts may also arise over the allocation of family property.
l provides a well-structured, in-depth discussion, demonstrating a high level of
critical analysis
l identifies and explains the impacts that same-sex marriage may have on
7-8
traditional concepts of the family using some relevant knowledge and
concepts, but the explanation lacks sufficient detail/ tends to focus on certain
perspectives
l provides a well-structured discussion, demonstrating some evidence of
critical analysis, though detail might be lacking in parts
l attempts to explain the impacts that same-sex marriage may have on
4-6
traditional concepts of the family; provides a partial explanation / may not be
all correct/relevant, by applying a superficial level of knowledge or concepts,
indicating a lack of understanding of the impacts/ the current situation in Hong
Kong
l gives a shallow discussion with little organisation
l attempts to explain briefly the impacts that same-sex marriage may have on
1-3
traditional concepts of the family; provides a partial explanation / may not be
all correct/relevant, by applying a superficial level of knowledge or concepts,
indicating a lack of understanding of the impacts/ the current situation in Hong
 Kong
l gives a shallow discussion with little organisation / without focus; expresses
his/her ideas vaguely
l makes no attempt to answer the question
0
l gives an answer which is not relevant to the question

b.
Suggested Marking Guidelines Marks
The candidate:
l identifies and explains clearly and in detail, with an in-depth and
9-10
comprehensive analysis in view of the current situation in Hong Kong, the
barriers among major stakeholders to achieving consensus on legalising same-
sex marriage in Hong Kong; shows an in-depth understanding and an
appropriate application of relevant knowledge and concepts (e.g., human
rights, conflict of interest, consensus-making); may draw upon some of the
points below or any other appropriate alternatives, e.g.,:
n There are contrasting beliefs and positions among and within stakeholder
groups. Religious groups are opposed to same-sex marriage, believing
this is a violation of religious principles.
n Same-sex marriage represents a social status which is linked to various
social benefits and policies, such as public housing, comprehensive
social security assistance and adoption of children. Some also worry that
legalising same-sex marriage will alter the educational system and
undermine traditional family values.
n It will take a long time for the public to accept the LGBT community and
reach a consensus on same-sex marriage. For example, it took decades
for homosexuality to be decriminalised in Hong Kong.
l provides a well-structured, in-depth discussion, demonstrating a high level
of critical analysis
l identifies and explains the barriers among major stakeholders to achieving
7-8
consensus on legalising same-sex marriage in Hong Kong using some relevant
knowledge and concepts, but the explanation lacks sufficient detail/ tends to
focus on certain perspectives
l provides a well-structured discussion, demonstrating some evidence of
critical analysis, though detail might be lacking in parts
l identifies briefly the barriers to achieving consensus among major
4-6
stakeholders on legalising same-sex marriage in Hong Kong, but the
explanation lacks sufficient detail; shows basic applications of some
relevant knowledge and concepts
l provides a somewhat shallow discussion, which is not well structured and
does not always articulate his/her ideas clearly
l attempts to describe some problems related to legislation on same-sex
1-3
marriage; lists some concerns of stakeholders on same-sex marriage in Hong
Kong and may miss some important stakeholders; provides a partial
explanation / may not be all correct/relevant, by applying a superficial level
of knowledge or concepts, indicating a lack of understanding of the barriers /
the current situation of Hong Kong
l gives a shallow discussion with little organisation / without focus; expresses
his/her ideas vaguely
l makes no attempt to answer the question
0
l gives an answer which is not relevant to the question
(b) What would you consider to be the barriers to achieving consensus among major
stakeholders on legalizing same-sex marriage in Hong Kong? Explain your answer.
(10 marks)

In recent years, the issue of LGBT rights have been a widespread issue in Hong Kong.
However, no consensus has been reached after years of discussion because the issue is very
controversial. In this essay, I will analyze the barriers to achieving a consensus among
major stakeholders on legalizing same-sex marriage in Hong Kong.

First and foremost, from the angles of stances, different stakeholder groups have
contrasting beliefs and thus, it is difficult for them to engage in a dialogue. For example,
groups advocating LGBT rights believe that everyone has the right to marriage regardless
of their sexual orientation. But, some groups holding opposite opinions insist that marriage
should be the union of a man and a woman. Some religious groups regard same-sex
relationships as a violation of religious principles. They are opposed to the legalization of
same-sex marriage, believing that this will encourage same-sex relationships. Indeed,
opinions are diverse even within the same stakeholder group. Attitudes towards same-sex
relationships also vary among different religious groups. Since the issue of same-sex
marriage concerns the ethics of individuals. Therefore, it is difficult for stakeholders to
compromise and reach a consensus.

Moreover, from the angles of rights, same-sex marriage has aroused much controversies
because marriage represents a social status which is linked to various social policies. For
example, the public disagrees on whether the same-sex couples should be eligible for social
benefits such as public housing. Whether same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt
children is also controversial, as some argue that families with same-sex parents may not
provide a favourable environment for their children. Before initiating public consultation
and legislation on same-sex marriage, the government needs to consider the potential
impacts on social welfare and traditional family values. Therefore, the government
reluctant to make a decision and it is difficult to reach a consensus.
Last but not least, from the angles of time, LGBT rights usually takes a long time for
society to reach a consensus. In my opinion, the feasibility studies on legislation against
discrimination based on sexual orientation just began a few years ago. This shows that the
fight for LGBT rights in Hong Kong remains an uphill battle. Although same-sex
relationships have been increasingly accepted by the public in recent years, the SODO
proposal was criticized for inducing reverse discrimination. This reflects that a much longer
time will be required for Hong Kong society to reach a consensus on this issue. Therefore,
the government reluctant to make a decision and it is difficult to reach a consensus in this
particular moment.

To conclude, the issue of same sex marriage is controversial. In view of this, it is difficult
for the government to legalize same-sex marriage in the short term.

2017 8

DSE #2018DSE

Liberal Studies