'True or Fall'

One more reason of not investing in Hong Kong. - actually it might not be necessary if Hong Kong could provide an environment suitable for expats coming in to do business.

One more reason of widening income inequality - smart people would still work hard 'cos they know that this benchmark is rubbish. But those who are not yet wakened by this alarm would mistakenly think that they have achieved an acceptable English standard, which is already the stopper of not studying harder.

One more reason of earning more money for paying private schools for kids - I think teachers would fall into the myth that its good enough to get a student passed in the exam. I could hardly accept this myself... sigh!

One more proof of sweet poisoning.

Lately I had a quick lunch and seems that the ones share the same table with me are students and teacher. I'm not sure what subject this teacher teaches but I could hear the student saying a phrase, very likely in the discussion of some examinations or tests sort of things, 'True or Fall' (I think what she wanted to say 'True of False')...and I almost trembled; what I feel more terrible is - the teacher didn't correct her!!!

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/070325/12/24c2c.html

新會考文法標準降 肯寫已及格
(明報) 03月 26日 星期一 05:10AM

【明報專訊】今年會考中英文科是全新課程，有英文導師認為，只要學生嘗試作答，便大有機會取得符合升讀中六資格的第二級成績（分五級成績，第五級最高分），較舊課程取得及格成績容易，但亦擔心這批學生文法根基較弱，日後面對覑重文法的高考英文科隨時慘敗。

文法根基弱 恐難應付高考

新城娛樂台昨舉辦會考備戰講座，邀請補習社遵理學校的老師主講，吸引約1000名會考生前來「取經」。英文科導師梁賀琪認為，以考評局 早前公布水平參照中不同級別的能力，只需寫出「The restaurant should give people can relax feel」等句子，因為「看得明」便可取得第二級成績，但她形容這些句子不知所謂：「相對以往，這些句子已經fail（不及格）。」

她認為，新課程鼓勵考生嘗試，故只要考生「肯講肯寫」，幾乎已可及格，試卷亦取消了以往專考文法的部分。她擔心日後就算取得第三、第四級的學生升上中六，因為文法根基弱，面對覑重文法的高考，分外吃力。距離英文科開考尚餘個多月，她建議學生先花多些時間串生字。

另一位英文科教師伍經衡也認為，考試模式改，歷屆試題參考價值已不大，但學生也應試做改動較少的聆聽卷，特別留意近3年的試題。

中文科導師徐迅和梁頌佳認為，應付中文會考新課程，多閱讀和多看報紙是不二法門。梁頌佳建議學生每兩天讀一篇社論：「從社論中學習思維和批判能力，社論的用字比較考究和認真。」

徐迅則表示，徐迅認為「死背死讀」的舊課程已成過去，新課程要求學生的視野廣闊，故考生平日應多花時間閱讀，多讀武俠小說或魯迅、余秋雨、阿濃和小思等著作必有所裨益。