Month: August 2020

2020 DSE English Writing Question 5 (Sample)

Wendy Chan - English language & literature TutorLeave a comment

5. Learning English through Sport Communication

Some people think that the International Olympic Committee should include a greater variety of sports in the Olympic Games. However, for a sport to be considered a new Olympic event, it must meet the following criteria: 1) appeal to young people; 2) promote gender equality; 3) attract media coverage.

The IOC is inviting the public to suggest sports to be included in future Olympics. You would like to propose Dragon Boat Racing.

  • Write a letter to the President of the IOC.
  • Give reasons to support your opinion.

Dear President,

As the IOC is inviting the public to suggest sports for future Olympics, I would like to take this opportunity to propose dragon boat racing be included in the Olympic Games. For dragon boat racing to be considered a new Olympic event, it meets the three criteria for approval. It not only appeals to young people, but also promotes gender equality and attracts media coverage.

Dragon boat racing has its charming appeal to young people. Not only can they meet new people, make new friends and develop social skills but also learn how to collaborate with teammates to achieve a common goal. As dragon boat racing requires paddlers to act according to the command of the drummer and the drum beat.  They will then learn self-discipline and have a feeling of independence. Moreover, as dragon boat racing is both a physically and mentally tough sport which demands a lot of practice through trial and error, young people can learn how to overcome adversity and become more resilient when they are faced with failure.  Once they have successfully coped with stress and failure, they will have a sense of achievement and boost their self-confidence. Besides, dragon boat racing can be fun and an enjoyment too. 

In addition, dragon boat racing promotes gender equality because there is no gender stereotype and discrimination against male or female participants in this sport. As long as you have a strong body and mind, no matter you are male or female, you are qualified to take part in this sport. In the competition, there can be men’s team, women’s team or mixed team just like those in badminton and table tennis. Therefore, dragon boat racing achieves gender equality, empowers women and endorses basic human right for women.

Furthermore, dragon boat racing will definitely attract media coverage because of its intense atmosphere and fierce competition. Dragon boat racing originates from China. I am sure the world will be engrossed in seeing whether the Chinese sport can be skillfully mastered by the western countries as well. What an exciting and exhilarating game to watch the competition between China and the rest of the world! The competition will definitely attract global media attention and a lot of feature stories will be covered worldwide. Dragon boat racing will be such an impressive Olympic event to the world. 

Given the above reasons, I hope that the IOC would consider including dragon boat racing as one of the new Olympic event. 

Yours faithfully,

Chris Wong

2020 DSE English Writing Question 4 (Sample)

Wendy Chan - English language & literature TutorLeave a comment

4. Learning English through Workplace Communication

You work for the Park Hotel in Hong Kong. You would like to apply for a work transfer to the Shanghai branch of the hotel.

  • Write a letter to Mr Wong, your manager.
  • Highlight your work experience, why you would like to transfer and how your transfer will benefit the organization.

Dear Mr. Wong,

I am writing to apply for a work transfer to the Shanghai branch of Park Hotel for the position of assistant sales manager. As it is indicated that the ideal candidate should possess a strong passion and a target-driven mindset for developing the Chinese market and expanding client base for our hotel group, I believe that, with my strong interest in the Chinese market and my work experience, I am eligible for the position.

Prior to joining Hong Kong Park Hotel, I have completed the internship program at Shanghai Disneyland where I have developed a basic understanding of the Chinese hospitality market, Chinese culture and customer expectations. Besides, having participated in the two-year rotational program at Hong Kong Park Hotel, I have obtained a full picture of hotel operations by engaging with different hotel divisions ranging from front desk guest services, room reservations, food and beverage to sales and marketing and management. I have learnt the importance of teamwork collaboration to bring about a professional and satisfactory customer-oriented experience and to boost the efficiency of different departments. In addition, I have also demonstrated excellent interpersonal communication skills by establishing good relationships with guests and colleagues as well as resolving potential conflicts between departments to ensure the seamless and smooth running of operations. With the above experience, I believe that I am qualified for the management level of work at the hotel industry.

During my seat at the sales and marketing department, I was involved in sales planning, assisted our team in achieving annual sales targets and raising our sales revenues by 15%. This successful experience reveals my strength in sales accomplishment and encourages me to further develop my career path as a sales manager. The current vacancy is a golden opportunity which provides me with a springboard to my next step in career development. Moreover, along with my fluent Mandarin and English and my deep sense and knowledge of Chinese market, I believe that I am able to develop and maintain strong client relations and pursue new business and sales opportunities by catering both international and local guests with the individual characteristics and tailor-made products and services of our Shanghai branch. Furthermore, I am keen to develop strong ties between Hong Kong and Shanghai branches with an aim to build and strengthen the relationship and connection between Shanghai and Hong Kong colleagues so as to achieve better collaboration, mutual communication and resource allocation which will benefit our whole organization.

My rotational program will soon come to a completion at the end of August. Should I have the opportunity of securing the position, I am delighted to make a seamless transition from Hong Kong Park Hotel to Shanghai Park Hotel. I look forward to discussing with you the ways I can contribute to Shanghai Park Hotel as well as Park Hotel Group. 

Yours sincerely,

Chris Wong