2019 DSE English Writing Question 5 (Sample)

Learning English through Popular Culture

This week’s question in the Young Post’s Over to You column is:

Where do you get information about the latest trends in pop culture? Do you turn to newspapers and magazines or do you prefer blogs and videos on social media?

• Write an article for the Over to You column
• Choose one or two areas of pop culture from the chart below and tell readers where you like to get information about the latest trends. Provide the name of the sources you recommend
• Give your article a title

Get Connected Online to Pop Culture

Nowadays, due to the advancement of technology, people can receive news and information online from the internet in addition to traditional newspapers and magazines in print. As teenagers born in the digital age, I prefer blogs, websites and social media sites to newspapers and magazines to get information about the latest pop culture because it is cheap, fast and convenient and is also easy to share the information with family and friends. There are two areas of pop culture which I am particularly interested. They are food and drink, and style and beauty. I am keen to share with you and recommend the following sources where you can get the latest and interesting information about these two areas of pop culture.

For food and drink, there are several channels where you can get to know the latest popular cuisine and delicious dishes. Go to U Magazine Facebook Page which features the most popular food among the teenagers. For example, each month, it covers a story about affordable local specialties favored by teenagers, such as HeyTea, the tea-drink brand which blends tea drinks with fresh milk, cream and fruit. From the built-in comment boxes, you can see reviews about the customer experience of the product quality. Also, very often, it features hidden gems found in the city, such as egg tarts, egg waffles, pancakes and soufflé etc. Apart from U Magazine, another way is to try Eat Weekly Instagram page which publishes photos and descriptions of seasonal food promoted by different eateries and restaurants, such as spicy chicken hotpot, Japanese Toro and Sashimi, A5 beef eat-unlimited buffet etc. There are also video posts about the preparation or cooking process of different dishes which enhance your visual appetite.

For style and beauty, despite the Facebook and Instagram Page of the fashion and beauty brands where you can easily see up-to-date information about the hottest products, you can turn to renowned blogs to get access to the latest trends in fashion and beauty. One of the famous blogs called Trendy Zone composed by a fashion and beauty consultant and blogger Victoria Chu is my favourite choice. Each day, there is a blog entry about the best selected clothes and the best bargain clothes among the popular fashion brands. Besides, there is another blog entry about how to mix and match different clothes together with stylish make-up to give a trendy and chic look. The recommendations are professional and well-received by teenagers.

If you are one of those who like to keep abreast of the trend in pop culture, I would definitely recommend the above sources where you can follow the latest teen pop. I hope you will have a well-informed choice before you head for food and fashion.

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