中五 英文試卷 (F5 English Past Paper)
▼ 圖片只作預覽, 如欲下載整份卷, 請按「免費成為會員」 ▼
▲ 圖片只作預覽, 如欲下載整份卷, 請按「免費成為會員」 ▲中五英文試卷 PDF 下載
下載試卷只限會員尊享
內容節錄：
Secondary Five
Instructions:
Ying Wa Girls' School
Final Examination 2021-2022
Liberal Studies II (Extended Response Questions)
1 hour 15 minutes
This paper consists of three questions. Answer ONE QUESTION only.
Do Questions (a) and (b) on TWO SEPARATE DOUBLE FOOLSCAPS.
LABEL all answer sheets with the correct question number clearly.
June 27, 2022
1b. "A cashless society brings more benefits than harm to people's quality of life in China." To
what extent do you agree to this view? Explain your answer. (12 marks)
AGREE (MORE BENEFITS THAN HARM):
(convenience)
Source: Second paragraph
Explanation
The availability of QR codes and the ease of using mobile payment brings much
convenience to the general public when paying for various goods and services.
People can use public transport, buy groceries, order takeout etc with just a simple
scan on their phone. Instead of carrying a lot of cash or having insufficient cash, a
phone is all that is needed when one goes out. It brings much convenience to
people's life. Old people, in particular, can pay without the need of counting cash
or receiving the wrong change.
However, some prefer using cash as they are not familiar with the technology. It is
also inconvenient if problems arise with their phones, bank account, password
security or connection. Being cashless does not necessarily bring more benefits
to some people and in some situations. Despite not being appealing sometimes, the
convenience a cashless society brings does outweigh its inconvenience most of the
time. Therefore, a cashless society brings more benefits than harm to people's
quality of life in China.
Source: Third paragraph
A cashless society does bring more benefits in the health aspect. Due to COVID-
19 and the prevalence of various infectious diseases, people are more cautious to
protect themselves. A cashless society reduces the use of bills which carry germs
and bacteria. In terms of hygiene, being cashless is definitely much more
However, others may not regard a cashless society brings more benefits than
harm in the health aspect. Cash is used everywhere in the world, and there is no
strong and clear evidence showing that people get sick because of using cash (bills
and coins). Besides, hand sanitizers are encouraged to be used after touching cash.
Not using cash does not necessarily improve health. Still, totally NOT touching
any money that has been transferred from people to people many times is no doubt
much safer. Therefore, a cashless society does bring more benefits than harm to
people's quality of life in China.
Economically
Environmentally
On one hand, a cashless society / e-payment makes shopping, especially online
shopping much more convenient and enjoyable. On the other hand, online
shopping also facilitates a cashless society. Being able to purchase what one
wants any time anywhere benefits people's quality of life both in the material
and non-material aspect. People without bringing sufficient cash in stores can
also easily settle their bills with e-payment. They are encouraged to spend
more to satisfy both their material and non-material needs, particularly when
people's purchasing power is rising continuously after the reform and opening-
However, the convenience of being cashless does not necessarily bring more
benefits as the rise of consumerism may intensify over-spending. Over-
consumption negatively affects ones' financial planning. Fortunately, this only
occurs to the minority who do not have much self-discipline. Overall, a
cashless society brings more benefits than harm to people's quality of life in
China has a large population. If bills are used, lots of papers will be used.
Papers are easily worn out after being used for some time and need to be
replaced. Moreover, it is a habit for people to use brand new dollar bills
during Chinese New Year or when giving out red packets in other important
occasions. The demand on papers will be extremely high given China's large
population and people's rising financial power. The increasing popularity of
using e-red packets definitely has positive impact on the environment as no bills
are involved.
However, saving the use of papers does not necessarily bring more benefits
to the environment as a whole because a cashless society / e-payment often
encourages online consumption and over-spending. Buying unnecessary
goods, excessive packaging and increasing transport of goods all pose negative
impacts to the environment. Using less paper for dollar bills but ending up
consuming more goods poses more harm than benefits. Yet, those who love
spending will continue to do so whether there is e-payment or not. They will
not spend less to protect the environment. E-payment is not to be blamed for
worsening the environment. Overall, a cashless society that uses less paper
still brings more benefits than harm.
DISAGREE (MORE HARM THAN BENEFITS):
(the elderly and
(consumerism)
Source: Last paragraph
Some elderly and the underprivileged may feel left out in a cashless society.
underprivileged) They may not have a smartphone or sufficient mobile data due to financial
reasons or a lack of technical skills. They may not be able to get around
easily in daily life and satisfy both their material and non-material needs. If
no one is around to assist them, they may feel excluded from society.
Explanation
However, some do not agree that there is more harm. As people's living
standard and consumption power have improved tremendously, possessing a
phone is no longer considered as a luxury. It has become an essential tool to
get around and to communicate, especially in big cities. Therefore, not
having a phone to have e-payment is not very convincing. Besides, the
government, the community and the business sector have been trying hard to
promote, teach and help different groups to be familiarize with the technology.
They are not being neglected. The business sector, in particular, will try its
best to help out so that they will not lose any customers. Yet, empty nesters
are on the rise and migrant workers are still very common. The elderly may
not be able to seek help immediately from their children when problems with
their phones, wifi, bank accounts or mobile payment arise. Some elderly are
even childless. A cashless society can be an unfriendly society to them.
Therefore, a cashless society still brings more harm than benefits.
On one hand, a cashless society / e-payment makes shopping, especially
online shopping much more convenient and enjoyable. On the other hand,
online shopping also facilitates a cashless society. With people's higher
consumption power and the rise of consumerism, a cashless society / e-
payment encourages more consumption and even over-spending. Irrational
consumption can be an addiction which affects one's financial management.
Those without much self-discipline may even end up in debt.
However, being cashless itself does not bring in harm directly. Those
who are in debt are the minority who lack self-discipline. They cannot blame
the effectiveness of e-payment for causing their personal problem of over-
consumption. The majority can enjoy a variety of goods and products,
satisfying both their material and non-material needs. Yet, an over-spending
society can pose tremendous negative impacts on people's future which cannot
be neglected. Therefore, a cashless society brings more harm than benefits.
Source: Last paragraph
The elderly or those who are less familiar with mobile security often fall into
victims of scams or fraud. As their phones are linked to various bank
accounts, they may end up losing a huge fortune.
However, e-payment does not necessarily expose them to more harm as
anyone can be cheated in their daily life using cash. It is only that the way
of fraud is different. Moreover, the government is stepping up measures to
handle frauds and reminds people to be very cautious. Despite that,
fraudsters can also find ways to get around and there are always victims.
Therefore, a cashless society brings more harm than benefits.
Environmentally With people's higher consumption power and the rise of consumerism, a
cashless society / e-payment encourages consumption and even over-spending.
Buying unnecessary goods, excessive packaging and increasing transport of
goods all pose negative impacts to the environment.
However, some may argue that being cashless is only a payment method and
it should not be blamed for causing environmental problems. Those who
love to overspend will overspend regardless of the payment method. It is
people's consumption habit that poses harm to the environment, not the
payment method itself. E-payment does not bring in more harm. Yet, it
is undeniable that being cashless does tempt many to purchase more than
needed, posing tremendous stress on the environment. Therefore, a cashless
society brings more harm than benefits.
Explanation
Structure In a 12-mark Paper 2 "to what extent" question, you need to have
an introduction
3 arguments
a conclusion
This is a comparison essay. You must compare in EACH paragraph by
comparisons mentioning both benefits and harm.
Use of term
*Reminders*
Irrelevant /
To a large extent:
You need to explain the benefits clearly AND
why some think that there is harm OR
why there are NOT more benefits.
To a small extent:
You need to explain the harm clearly AND
why e-payment does not bring in more harm.
Purchasing power refers to one's ability to buy. People's purchasing power rises
when their increase in salary (for example 5%) is higher than that of inflation
(3%). That means they can purchase more things than before. It is illogical to
say that e-payment can increase one's purchasing power or spending money can
raise one's purchasing power.
This question is NOT about online shopping. It is irrelevant if you keep talking
about online shopping. Your focus needs to be on the payment method (e-
payment). People in a shop can also pay using e-payment.
Whether one pays in cash or credit card or any other ways have nothing to do
with communication skills or interpersonal relationships. It is a payment
method only which does not require much communication or interpersonal skills.
Do not over-exaggerate as you are not writing a fiction.
This question is simply about the payment method. Using mobile payment does
not miraculously increase job opportunities.
Using cash is universal all over the world and it has nothing to do with Chinese
culture, traditions or customs. NOT everything done by the Chinese is related
to the Chinese culture. It is illogical to say that using cash is a Chinese custom.
Besides that, having pictures of famous landscapes or Chinese leaders on the
dollar bills does not make dollar bills themselves a Chinese culture. Those
landscapes will not disappear when fewer bills are used and dollar bills are NOT
used to spread culture.
Similar to the last point, this question about being cashless has nothing to do with
the Chinese culture. It is irrelevant to use e-red packets as an example. Giving
out e-red packets is NOT considered as a kind of payment; it is simply giving a
gift. Payment refers to the transfer of money in exchange for goods and
2a. What are some controversies that might arise when ethanol is developed as an alternative
energy source? (8 marks)
Controversies
Controversy of
environmentally-
friendly and
sustainable
Controversy of
whether ethanol
can be a stable
source of energy
Explanation
Source B: Currently, emissions from farmers burning waste after
harvesting have been identified as a serious contributor to air pollution in
the country. However, some said the plan for wider use of ethanol petrol
could actually make pollution worse as the process of producing ethanol
petrol could also produce harmful emissions.
On one hand, it is claimed that ethanol can solve the problem of air
pollution produced by burning fossil fuels and agricultural
waste. However, it is also argued that the production of ethanol would
produce harmful emission. It can be seen that it remains controversial
whether ethanol can be environmentally-sustainable and beneficial to
alleviate the problem of air pollution.
Source A: The latter requires a more complex and time-consuming
process, making the fuel considerably more expensive.
Source B: "China could also reduce its dependence on oil imports with
this plan in the long run."
Some claimed that by the strategy of developing ethanol, China's reliance
on oil imports can be reduced in the long run. Thus, the global oil price
fluctuation would pose less effect to China and the negative impact on
energy supply is lessened. However, ethanol is also being questioned of
its stability in energy supply. This is because farmers may have little
incentives to transport agricultural waste for ethanol production due to the
high cost of transporting stalks. Moreover, as ethanol that is produced
with stalks requires more complicated process and is more expensive,
whether it can be a stable source of supply is doubtful.
Controversy of
beneficial to the
improvement of
quality of life
Source B: "The key challenge is making sure that any targets or mandates
for using ethanol in transport do not lead to using edible raw materials,"
Developing ethanol is said to be cost-effective which it can reduce
pollution and produce a clean fuel at one time. It is necessary to take
action to minimize its negative impact brought e.g. acid rain and smog, in
order to raise people's quality of life and safeguard public health, and
ethanol can be a means to this ends. However, some foresee that
developing ethanol may not lead to better quality of life if edible food
products are used to produce the fuels. This is because food prices may
rise as a result of increasing demand for agricultural products to be used in
ethanol production, thus posing a burden on people's cost of living and
worsening their quality of life.
*Reminders*
A controversy is a disagreement that involves different ideas or opinions about something. In
other words, while explaining a controversy, there should be both the affirmative / supporting
argument and the opposing argument over an area of issue stemmed from the use of ethanol.
Some students merely interpreted 'controversy' as 'disadvantages', thus only elaborated on the
disadvantages of using ethanol. This fails to generalise controversies.
Moreover, students should not just list out different stakeholders' interests and possible
viewpoints; they should also think about the specific area which disagreements lie in.
2b. "Developing and using alternative energy brings more opportunities than challenges to the
development of China." Do you agree to this view? Explain your answer. (12 marks)
Opportunities
Explanation
Improvement of Developing alternative energy can bring improvement in China's
China's image
Enhancement of
development
Improvement in
quality of life
Promotion of
sustainable
development
image. In the past, the developmental model of China focused on 'Three
Highs, One Low' and "development first, treatment follows". To reduce
the emission and work towards the target of carbon neutral, developing
alternative energy helps. For example, solar energy and HEP are clean
energy that reduces pollutants. By developing alternative energy, it helps
enhance China's image as a responsible power.
Developing alternative energy can be conducive to the development of a
low-carbon economy and benefits related industries. For example, by
providing incentives to research and development, construction and
operations of various alternative energy, more business and job
opportunities can be brought forth (e.g. solar energy). Moreover, various
kinds of green financial products including green loans, green bonds and
green insurance can spring up in the financial markets. It also helps China
align with the Made in China 2025 Plan and transform China into a more
sustainable economic entity.
Developing alternative energy is an opportunity to improve quality of
life. For example, developing wind and solar energy can enable rural
households and villages to enhance agricultural development, thus
consolidating poverty elimination. Moreover, with fewer pollutants,
developing and using alternative energy can also be an opportunity to
improve public health e.g. alleviating the long-term medical burden caused
by air pollution.
Developing alternative energy can be an opportunity to promote sustainable
development. Since the Reform and Opening-up, the use of fossil fuels
like coal, oil and natural gas has been frequent. Industrial and economic
activities that consume fossil fuels have led to environmental problems like
smog and global warming. With the development and use of alternative
energy which are cleaner, it would help alleviate pollution emitted by
roadside transport, factories and residential use.
Coordination
between different
authorities
financial input
Unstable energy
supply from
alternative energy
Environmental
risks brought by
Explanation
Developing alternative energy requires coordination between the central
and local authorities. Developing alternative energy is a way to reduce
emission. While reducing emission, in order to maintain people's
livelihood, local authorities need to take various practical factors into
consideration e.g industrial structure and residents' demand for
energy. Thus, it requires an incremental manner from the local authorities in
light of local conditions.
Developing alternative energy requires financial input and this may increase
the government's economic burden. To develop and use certain types of
alternative energy, for example nuclear energy, investment including
importing uranium, building reactors and maintenance can be huge, thus
increasing the cost of energy especially when price of uranium
fluctuates. Moreover, challenges will be met when fossil fuels are
gradually replaced by the development and use of alternative energy. Coal-
producing provinces may face a loss of job opportunities. While using
alternative energy, cost of products can also be more expensive and its
competitiveness may be weakened. The government would have to ensure
sufficient resources to promote the development and use of alternative
Developing alternative energy can bring challenges in terms of the stability
of energy supply. The supply of alternative energy would depend on the
climate conditions (e.g. solar and wind energy). Unstable weather may
affect the supply of electricity, affecting people's quality of life. The
government would have to ensure the provision of energy is stable.
Developing certain alternative energy may pose risks to the environment
(e.g. nuclear energy). Once there is nuclear leakage, the disastrous impact
to the environment is irreversible. Governments and energy sectors thus
alternative energy have to ensure that the risks of developing and using alternative energy are
1. Consider the following information:
A cashless society
Over the past few years, paying with mobile phone has become a daily gesture in China. In 2018,
92% of people in China's largest cities use Wechat Pay or Alipay as their main means of payment
instead of cash. On the other hand, 47% of the rural population is reported to regularly use
mobile payments in China. From convenience stores to large shopping malls, from the purchases
of subway tickets to the payment of flight tickets, mobile payment can be used in everywhere in
China. No cash is needed.
A cashless society is successful in China as mobile payments are fast and straightforward. This
speed is possible thanks to the QR codes. There are two ways to pay via QR Codes in China:
First way: The customer scans the seller's QR code, chooses the amount and sends the
money directly to the seller.
Second way: The customer shows his/her QR code displayed on his smartphone, and the
seller scans it. This method is even simpler and faster because the customer has nothing to
do; it is up to the seller to select the amount that will then be deducted from his mobile wallet.
After the COVID-19 epidemic in China, the Payment & Clearing Association of China (PCAC)
launched an action in February 2020 to encourage people to use mobile payment, online payment
and QR payment to avoid the risk of infection. Some people have even developed the habit of not
carrying any cash when they are out commuting or shopping.
However, a cashless society may not be welcomed by everyone. The rapid development of
internet technologies has left many elderly Chinese people feeling left behind. Senior citizens
find it frustrating when they are required to pay with their mobile phones, especially in places
where they have always used cash, such as in vegetable markets, washhouses, and when they
require delivery services. The population over 60 is expected to grow by 100 million between
2015 and 2030 to over 300 million. In addition, some people may have weak security awareness.
Most mobile payment frauds happen in a situation where all of a user's payment passwords are the
same or when they pay while connecting to public Wifi. Scam messages and fake QR codes are
not uncommon.
*Reminders*
The question is a two-sided question, which requires students to compare the opportunities and
challenges arise from the development and use of alternative energy. Students must discuss
both opportunities and challenges over a certain area of issue, followed by comparisons.
Imbalanced content (discussing either side for almost the whole essay without addressing the
other side), insufficient content (only having two to three arguments that contain comparisons),
and answers only with limited comparisons would lead to low scores.
'Challenges' should be about the challenges that arise from the development and use of
alternative energy, but not merely challenges met when China develops itself.
Students should use a variety of alternative energy examples to support their stances. The
top-performing answer should be able to discuss based on China's context, not merely
comparing the opportunities and challenges brought by the alternative energy.
Some comparisons for reference:
Considering the possibility of having more opportunities:
Developing alternative energy is a global trend. With global warming and climate change as
the urgent global issues to be tackled, there will be more opportunities for China to cooperate
with different countries that facilitate China's development.
Considering the cost involved in challenges:
In the long run, the cost of developing and using alternative energy will be decreased when
technology matures. The challenges can be overcome.
Considering the risk involved in challenges:
The challenges e.g. nuclear leakage can bring huge and irreversible impact on the environment.
Once it happens, it will take a long time to tackle the environmental damages caused. It is
difficult to completely overcome the challenge.
3a. What factors might influence people's decisions to adopt the traditional wedding model in the
future? Explain your answer. (8 marks)
traditional
Influence of
Explanation
Source A: According to a survey, Hong Kong people spend over $300,000 on
wedding on average, covering items such as the wedding banquet, accessories and
clothing, honeymoon trip and photoshoots. Among them, the expense on the
wedding banquet takes the largest proportion. Many Hong Kong people have
chosen to simplify the wedding procedures to save costs in recent years.
The complexity of wedding ceremony might influence people's decisions to adopt
traditional wedding ceremony. Traditional Chinese wedding ceremony involves
complicated proceedings such as the "three letters" and "six etiquettes", which
would increase wedding expenses. The whole wedding procedures would also
bring cumbersome preparation work to the bride and groom as well as their families.
In modern society, people live a fast pace of life, so the young generation would
choose to simplify the wedding procedures to save costs, and some may even
abandon the whole traditional wedding ceremony.
Source A: Some people think that even though the marriage customs are
complicated and some of the etiquettes are even out-of-date...
Globalization stimulates the influx of western culture into Hong Kong. The
western wedding model includes wearing wedding dress at church, organizing
wedding party with dances and cocktails at gardens and throwing the bridal bouquet,
which are often promoted by the global media. Western culture emphasizes
individual rights and freedom. Western wedding ceremony is relatively simple and
in line with the values in modern society. Therefore, western wedding model is
more easily accepted by the young generation, and they are less likely to adopt the
traditional wedding model in the future. Some traditional concepts of marriage
customs are already outdated. Examples include the "three letters" and "six
etiquettes" which highlight traditional family concepts, namely the clan's interests
and parents' order in marriage.
awareness on
filial piety
The pursuit
sustainability/
Marriage has always been a holy issue for Chinese people since ancient times, and a
ceremonious wedding party directly symbolizes the family's high social status.
Proper procedures and traditional customs include sending betrothal gifts to the
bride's family, leaving the parents' house to get married and serving tea to the
parents, in-laws and other family members, must be respected and followed strictly.
If not, it may bring embarrassment or shame to the families or the elders. Despite
the complexity of some traditional customs and rituals, many couples would choose
to respect the elder's opinions. The decision on adopting traditional wedding
model can uphold and strengthen the value of filial piety in modern society.
Many traditional customs contain rites which are acts that have symbolic meanings.
Engaging in rites is to show people's identity and status, as well as certain emotions
and meanings. Although some people think that some wedding etiquettes are
complicated and out-of-date, they insist on adopting the traditional wedding model
to highlight their identity of being Chinese. Traditional wedding customs also
allow family members to recognize one another, so some people still insist on
adopting the traditional wedding model nowadays.
Young couples with a strong sense of environmental awareness may consider
adopting a green wedding, which has a small-scale wedding banquet requiring fewer
materialistic items. For example, some couples are breaking with traditions by
opting for a banquet with no shark-fin soup. In order to follow sustainable
practices, some people will have greener choices when preparing gifts for their
guests as opposed to traditional wedding ceremony and items.
identification
Essay layout
* Reminders *
Explanation
Common mistake:
Students only describe a situation (reason!) without stating the factor.
A factor is one that actively contributes to the production of a result. It is
a noun. It is not a long description of something (reason!).
Describing a situation is NOT a factor. You must identify the factor very
clearly at the beginning of a paragraph such as:
The first factor is the influence of western culture.
The second factor is the complexity of the traditional wedding ceremony.
The third factor is family pressure.
For an 8-mark question, you must have
an introduction
a conclusion
Do NOT begin with "the first factor" and end abruptly.
3b. "The Hong Kong government should provide economic incentives to encourage the
inheritance of traditional customs in modern society." To what extent do you agree to this
view? Explain your answer. (12 marks)
AGREE: The Hong Kong government should provide economic incentives to encourage the
inheritance of traditional customs in modern society.
Explanation
Source B: In 2005, the Hong Kong government approved the resumption
of the Bun Scrambling Competition and used plastic bun as the
competition tool.
Traditional customs consist of cultural values and functions, symbolizing a
sense of identity, so they should be well preserved. The government
possesses huge amount of resources and can provide economic incentives
in various aspects, which help attract people to understand the cultural
values behind traditional customs. This will be more easily accepted by
the public, who may continue the customs and rituals. This can facilitate
the inheritance of traditional customs in modern society. According to
Source B, the Bun Scrambling Competition has been resumed and plastic
bun was used as the competition tool. Without the government's
subsidies, this modification could not be made possible. The event of the
Bun Scrambling Competition has become popular in recent years, making
more people willing to learn the customs of Tai Ping Qing Jiao in Cheung
Chau. The government's provision of economic incentives plays a key
role in enhancing the cultural adaptability of customs despite various
limitations in modern society.
awareness /
interest on
values behind
the customs
responsibility
Source B: In 2005, the Hong Kong government approved the resumption
of the Bun Scrambling Competition and used plastic bun as the
competition tool.
In addition to complicated ceremonies, traditional customs are affected by
western culture and thus are gradually declining in modern society.
Western festivals such as Halloween and Christmas are successfully
commercialized under globalization and have become the mainstream
nowadays, while traditional Chinese festivals seem to be fading.
However, the government provides economic incentives to respective
stakeholders in the community, allowing better promotion and publicity of
traditional customs. For example, the Hong Kong Tourism Board puts
emphasis and promotions on certain Chinese festivals, e.g. the Chinese
New Year Night Parade, the floats parade and Bun Scrambling
Competition of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival and the dragon boat race
during the Dragon Boat Festival. More people will be attracted to join
the events or celebrations, and these traditional customs are more easily
accepted by the public through soft promotions. Therefore, the
government should provide economic incentives to promote the traditional
customs and cultivate the public to learn more about the cultural values
behind the customs in modern society.
Source B: Last paragraph
Traditional customs can facilitate socialization and promote community
cohesion. The government should take up its social responsibility and
pass on traditional customs to future generations. For example, the
government initiates to launch the Museum Pass as shown in Source B to
attract and encourage the public to visit museums with affordable tickets.
The public can understand more about science, culture and customs in the
past. Therefore, the government should provide economic incentives and
take the initiative to create an environment with better cultural awareness
to the public. This will have positive impacts on the inheritance of
traditional customs in modern society.
DISAGREE: The Hong Kong government should NOT provide economic incentives to
encourage the inheritance of traditional customs in modern society.
Complexity of
traditional
Opposition from
stakeholders
Explanation
The key to the inheritance of traditional customs lies on whether people
understand the cultural values behind the customs. According to Source
B, the government helps resume the Bun Scrambling Competition and
successfully apply to inscribe Tai Ping Qing Jiao onto the national
intangible heritage list. This shows that economic incentives can attract
people and visitors to visit Cheung Chau and join the festive events.
However, people care more about the festive atmosphere or enjoyment
brought by these traditional customs and culture during the celebration.
With no genuine understanding of the cultural values imparted in the
traditional customs, people may forget about it soon. Moreover, they
would not initiate to understand the cultural values and historical origins
of the customs after the celebration activities. Therefore, providing
economic incentives may lack a long-lasting effect on encouraging the
inheritance of traditional customs in modern society.
Some ceremonies of traditional customs are too complicated and cannot
catch up with the pace of modern life. Although the government
provides economic incentives, the public may not adopt the customs
based on economic effectiveness and their actual needs. This reflects
that economic incentives provided by the government can hardly
compensate the restriction caused by the complexity of traditional
customs. Therefore, economic incentives would not help encourage the
inheritance of traditional customs in modern society.
The Hong Kong government adopts a non-intervention policy in its
economy. In order to encourage the inheritance of traditional customs in
modern society, the government can provide economic incentives such as
implementing economic measures, facilitating the development of the
cultural industry and promoting festival celebrations. However, these
economic incentives may change the developmental direction of the
market and contravene its developmental strategy. As a result, the
measures related to the promotion of the inheritance of traditional
customs may not be supported by some industries.
narrow focus
of the question
* Reminders *
Explanation
Common mistakes:
Many students failed to explain the meaning of economic incentives which
can be provided by the Hong Kong government. Economic incentives are
financial motivation for people to take certain actions. Examples of
economic incentives are tax incentives, subsidies and financial incentives
(monetary benefits).
Many students failed to understand the meaning of traditional customs.
Traditional customs refer to the common behaivour patterns and living
habits jointly followed by a particular ethnic group or people of a particular
region. Some traditional customs have been passed down and modified to
fit modern life mainly in the aspects of dining habits, clothing, funeral,
marriage and traditional festivals. The examples of traditional customs in
modern life can be found on P.233 of the textbook.
Main focus of the question:
Why SHOULD the Hong Kong government / SHOULD the Hong Kong
government NOT provide economic incentives to encourage the inheritance
of traditional customs in modern society?
AGREE: Discuss and explain clearly the roles of the Hong Kong
government and the positive impacts on encouraging the inheritance of
traditional customs in modern society.
DISAGREE: Discuss and explain clearly the obstacles / challenges /
difficulties / negative impacts faced by the Hong Kong government when
providing economic incentives to encourage the inheritance of traditional
customs in modern society.
What are the factors contributing to a cashless society in China? Explain your answer.
b. "A cashless society brings more benefits than harm to people's quality of life in China." To
what extent do you agree to this view? Explain your answer. (12 marks)
2. Consider the following information:
Biofuels such as ethanol are made from biomass materials. Ethanol is an alcohol used as a
blending agent with gasoline to cut down carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions.
There are two types of ethanol; one produced from food crops like corn, and the other from
cellulose matter such as leaves and stalks. The latter requires a more complex and time-
consuming process, making the fuel considerably more expensive. The most common type of
biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel.
Common biofuels
Source: Adapted from the US Department of Energy and S6 Mock Exam from EMI Schools 2021 - School 1 Paper 1
Strategy to tackle air pollution in China
Emissions from farmers burning waste after harvesting have been identified as a contributor to air
pollution in China. In view of such situation, China has hit on a strategy to solve two problems
at once: produce a clean fuel to replace oil and stop the illegal burning of farm waste that
contributes to air pollution. In 2017, the government has announced its E10 plan - that is by
2020, all petrol for vehicles will need to contain at least 10% ethanol.
"It will be killing two birds with one stone if China can turn one of the sources of pollution
straw stalks and farm waste - into biofuel," said a chief executive of an energy news media.
"China could also reduce its dependence on oil imports with this plan in the long run.”
However, some said the plan for wider use of ethanol petrol could actually make pollution worse
as the process of producing ethanol petrol could also produce harmful emissions.
Energy policy specialist Lin Boqiang also doubted whether agricultural waste would be a
practical source to make ethanol in the long run. "There is no incentive for farmers to cooperate
with this policy because transporting a full truck of straw stalks could cost more than the price of
the straw itself," he said. "Food products will remain the major source of generating ethanol in
the foreseeable future."
However, Lauri Myllyvirta, an energy analyst at Greenpeace in Beijing, said the policy was the
right direction for China. "The key challenge is making sure that any targets or mandates for
using ethanol in transport do not lead to using edible raw materials," he said. "This has been a
problem in many other places that have set targets for biofuel use." The US efforts to use food
crops as green fuel sources have been criticised for raising global food prices, eroding soil quality
and increasing instead of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
China's pledge that its carbon emissions will peak before 2030 and it will achieve carbon
neutrality before 2060 should not come as a surprise. It is a logical extension of its policies of
"Made in China 2025", high-quality development model and new infrastructure plan, all of which
are focused on achieving development through low-carbon and advanced technologies. The aim
of reaching carbon neutrality before 2060 is also in line with China's 2049 goal of building a
modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious
and beautiful.
Source: Adapted from South China Morning Post dated September 14, 2017 and January 9, 2020 and China Daily
dated May 31, 2021
What are some controversies that might arise when ethanol is developed as an alternative energy
source? (8 marks)
b. "Developing and using alternative energy brings more opportunities than challenges to the
development of China." Do you agree to this view? Explain your answer. (12 marks)
3. Consider the following information:
According to a survey, Hong Kong people spend over $300,000 on wedding on average, covering
items such as the wedding banquet, accessories and clothing, honeymoon trip and photoshoots.
Among them, the expense on the wedding banquet takes up the largest proportion. Many Hong
Kong people have chosen to simplify the wedding procedures to save costs in recent years.
However, some people think that even though marriage customs are complicated and some of the
etiquettes are even out-of-date, they insist on adopting the traditional wedding model.
Why Hong Kong couples are opting for no-frills weddings?
Apart from the declining traditional marriage ceremony, many traditional customs are gradually
lost in modernized Hong Kong. A cultural studies scholar pointed out that these traditional
customs are extremely important to society. The government should put more resources to
actively preserve the relevant culture.
Source: Adapted from S6 Mock Exam from EMI Schools 2021-22- School 15 Paper 2
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival
The Cheung Chau Bun Festival or Tai Ping Qing Jiao is a unique folk festival activity in Hong Kong
with a long history. According to legend, it was originated from the Mid-Qing Dynasty, a religious
activity in which local people prayed to the god to wipe out plagues. There are many festival
activities with traditional characteristics, including the floats parade, lion dance and Bun Scrambling
Competition. Every year, thousands of residents and visitors are attracted to Cheung Chau.
In 2005, the Hong Kong government approved the resumption of the Bun Scrambling Competition
and used plastic bun as the competition tool. This has successfully attracted a lot of athletes to join
the competition. In 2011, the government even successfully applied for Tai Ping Qing Jiao to be
inscribed onto the Third National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which helped increase
resources in research, conservation and promotion.
The government has promoted cultural conservation actively in recent years. In order to attract
more people to visit museums, the Museum Pass is introduced. Pass holders can enjoy unlimited
admission to the permanent and special exhibitions in the museums of the Leisure and Cultural
Services Department in a year. There are three types of Pass, namely Family Pass, Individual Pass
and Concessionary Pass, the annual fees for museum passes range from $25 to $100.
Source: Adapted from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and S6 Mock Exam from EMI Schools
2021-22- School 15 Paper 2
What factors might influence people's decisions to adopt the traditional wedding model in the
future? Explain your answer. (8 marks)
b. "The Hong Kong government should provide economic incentives to encourage the inheritance
of traditional customs in modern society." To what extent do you agree to this view? Explain
your answer. (12 marks)
End of Paper
Suggested Answers
What are the factors contributing to a cashless society in China? Explain your answer.
Explanation
Advancement
In recent years, China has been devoted in investing in technological
in technology development. Due to advancement in technology, hardware of e-payment e.g.
phones, computers or installations become more available and affordable to the
general public and business operators when technology matures. On the other
hand, related e-payment applications and platforms have been gradually
developed and more channels of e-payment are launched. Furthermore,
technological advancement also improves cyber security, which people have been
more confident in using e-payment for daily transactions. Thus, the
advancement of technology contributes to a cashless society in China.
Pursuit of Source: Second paragraph
convenience /
Convenience
brought by the
Compared with cash transactions, e-payment provides convenience to both
consumers and sellers as it reduces transaction time and errors. While using
mobile payment or QR code, the scanning of QR codes can facilitate the process
of transaction. Whereas for online payment, bank transfer or credit card
payments can replace conventional transactions. To consumers, a large sum of
money does not have to be brought along and top up can be made at any time.
They can also split bills among different parties. To sellers, changes are not
necessary to be made as exact amount is charged. The ease of e-payment brings
along convenience and thus has been welcomed by consumers and business
operators, contributing to cashless society.
Rising health Source: Third paragraph
concern due to
the outbreak of Due to COVID-19 and people's rising awareness of health concerns in general,
COVID-19 many dislike using cash for transactions. This is because the huge circulation of
bills may spread germs and bacteria, intensifying health risks. With the use of
mobile payment, transactions can simply be done by scanning QR codes or quick
transfer. Moreover, from time to time, people are under quarantine or social
distancing requirement which they are unable to leave home or residence for a
period of time. This gives rise to a wider usage of e-payment when they order
food or daily necessities delivery from Meituan, Taobao etc., thus contributing to
a cashless society.
Rising Source: First paragraph
popularity and The wider use of e-payment is also facilitated by the various e-payment channels
acceptance of provided by business operators. There are often discounts rolled out to users of
e-payment / e-payment which incentivises people to adopt e-payment methods. Moreover,
rising e- the rise of e-literacy and internet accessibility enable people from different age
literacy rate groups and social backgrounds to be more familiar with e-payment. When
people's consumption habits have been gradually shifted to e-payment, it
contributes to cashless society.
*Reminders*
A well-written answer should discuss distinguishable factors from multiple perspectives in the
Chinese context, not just merely the advantages brought by the use e-payment:
o Various e-payment methods: Mobile and online payment
o Various stakeholders: Consumers, business operators / sellers, developers etc.
o Various conditions: Development of hardware e.g. phones, computers, e-payment
installations and software e.g. apps, payment platforms
Students should avoid discussing similar factors e.g. one paragraph elaborating on the
efficiency brought by e-payment, another paragraph elaborating on the convenience brought by
e-payment. The whole essay will be shallow and narrow.