A wonderful experience of helping others

A wonderful experience of helping others

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In Tin Lok village, sounds of cleaning and moving filled the little house. The Lee family is moving because their daughter, Tina’s secondary school is too far away. In a cleared bedroom, Tina found a wooden box with her hand-drawings on it. She opened it and saw an unopened candy lying inside. This brought her thoughts back to three years ago…

Three years ago, Tina was still in primary five. That day, she said to her parents, “Bye mom, bye dad, I’m going to school!” and left home. She hummed songs and walked through the markets. Then, she suddenly remembered something and looked at her watch. “Oh no! I’m going to be late today!” Tina thought and started to rush to her school.

When Tina was near the traffic lights, which were still red, she slowed down and started walking towards the uninhabited roadside. Suddenly, she saw one of her neighbors, Grandma Wong, walking across the road! Grandma Wong has a very serious eye problem that made her nearly blind, but nobody can stay with her because she has no children or husband. Tina was very shocked by what she was doing. She was stunned for a moment, then rushed towards Grandma Wong as quick as lightning. She went through the road, grabbed Grandma Wong’s arm, turned over, and rushed back, dragging her.

Tina looked over and saw Grandma Wong was still okay, and said breathlessly to her, “Oh, grandma, why do you cross that road? The light is still red!” “Oh! Really?! But I can’t really see it,” said Grandma Wong, puzzled. Tina looked at her eyes; it seemed that her eye problems had worsened. Tina said, “Let me bring you back; you can’t cross the road by yourself.” “Thank you so much, Tina!” said Grandma Wong thankfully, as she gave Tina a candy. “This candy is for you!” she said. Then Tina went back to where she lived and returned to school.

When Tina entered the classroom, the lesson had already started. Her class teacher, Miss Chan, looked at her, shocked, and said, “Oh my god, Miss Lee, you’re late by more than twenty minutes!” “I’m sorry, Miss Chan, but…” “You will need to do five times more in today’s penmanship as punishment! Go back to your seat!” Tina went back to her seat, sighing. The grievance and aggrieved feeling from that day was still easy to remember. Five times more penmanship is really hard work. Being misunderstood wasn’t a good feeling. But Tina knew she had done the right thing, not just as a student, but as a neighbor.

A wonderful experience of helping others

A wonderful experience of helping others

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Helping others makes us feel meaningful and shows that we can be very helpful. I have a wonderful experience of helping others.

Two months ago, I took a bus to school. When I got on the bus, I found an empty seat. This was the only seat, so I galloped toward it to sit down because I was really tired. Although I was very tired, I did not sleep on the bus because I might forget to get off. I was playing on my mobile phone.

After four bus stations, a lady carrying her baby was looking for an empty seat. However, there were no empty seats at that time. I thought she must be very tired from carrying her baby, so I said, “There is no empty seat now. If you don’t mind, you can sit here.” Then she said, “Really! Thank you for offering your seat to me.” After that, she gave me some chocolate and said, “Thank you for your help. This is a treat you can have because you are so helpful.” I said excitedly, “Thank you for the chocolate. Your baby is so cute. May I hold her?” She answered, “Sure you can.” Then we chatted with each other happily. When I needed to leave the bus, I said, “I need to leave now, bye.” She also said, “Bye,” to me.

On that day, I felt it was meaningful to help others. I learned that if you are nice to others, they will be nice to you too.

It was a wonderful experience to help others.

Review of Wonka

Review of Wonka

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Wonka is about the creator of the chocolate factory, set before the events of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” The film is really good, and I like it very much!

The film is mainly a musical, and now I will talk about what the film is about.

“Wonka” is a prequel to “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” The main character, Wonka, is the creator of the chocolate factory. He goes to a city to open a shop for his own chocolate, but the chocolate alliance stops him. Then he goes to a hotel, but he doesn’t have any money, so he needs to work to pay for his stay, washing clothes. After his hard work, he finally defeats the chocolate alliance and starts his own chocolate factory.

Next, let’s analyze the film’s production quality. “Willy Wonka” boasts outstanding visual effects with various peculiar scenes and candy products inside the chocolate factory that are visually stunning. The film’s soundtrack is very captivating, adding emotional depth to the story. Furthermore, the character development and performances are excellent, with each character coming to life and leaving a lasting impression.

I think the film is very good for children because it has many funny moments. Also, all the characters’ clothing is very sharp in color, and there are many places to dance and sing. The film doesn’t have any horror elements and includes some touching moments, so I think the film is very suitable for the whole family to watch.

In conclusion, I will recommend this film to all my friends and all my teachers!

And let them see how great the film is!

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY PARENTS AND TEACHERS IS…

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY PARENTS AND TEACHERS IS…

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A high school student can experience a lot, whether it be relationships with friends, family issues, peer pressure, academic stress, and, of course, teenage love problems. This article is about me and a high school student’s future.

At a certain point, we will be asked, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” That’s simple. I have no idea. What is that? What I’m going to be when I grow up? I thought my life would simply move on after I graduated from high school and went to university. That question had never appeared in my life! I was confused, very much so at that time, so I decided to ask around, to seek some advice. However, the result didn’t turn out great. Mostly, the answers were naive and innocent, or ones such as “You can do anything you like.” I don’t know!

Yeah, who knows what we want to be at the age of 16? What do they expect from us? We are all a bunch of silly kids who suffer and work hard at studying.

Soon after, I started to ask some experienced people. Teachers and parents. I started with my mum. My mum is a housewife, taking care of all the chores and me. She didn’t say much about herself. All I have is hope that I get decent results and awards from different contests, like those typically Asian moms do. Then I reached out to my class teacher. He is an amusing guy, of a similar age to us, so we are very close to him. I asked about his choice of being a teacher rather than just enjoying a few more years of youth and exploring the world. He didn’t say much; he left only one sentence that we are all doing meaningful things, which seems like it’s benefiting us, but the more we see you achieve.

I didn’t say anything. However, I do see that my mum and my teacher are in agreement. My mum always encourages me to participate in different contests; school teachers impart knowledge. What is their purpose? It is always for our own good. Yes, you may say they are just doing their job or being responsible. No, what I saw was that they used their power to create hope for students like us, who are lost, who were frustrated, and who fear what will eventually turn out. Their existence guides us to the light, and that’s what I learned: to be positive, and that will bring out positive energy to guide people with words and actions…

As a student, what is the attitude I should have?

As a student, what is the attitude I should have?

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Being a student is challenging. Sometimes, we aspire to improve, but not everyone shares this perspective. Some students surrender and neglect their potential because they believe that only the high-achievers need to maintain a good attitude; they feel they don’t need to care. As a student, there are some crucial things I need to bear in mind about attitude—not only at school but also at home and in the way we handle situations. If you aspire to improve, a positive attitude is a must!

First and foremost, self-discipline is essential. It can assist with homework, studying, and punctuality. Setting a timetable can also be helpful. However, it’s merely a tool—the key lies in being self-disciplined. If you don’t have this key, the tool won’t function. Self-discipline means that you can push yourself to perform tasks without others reminding or instructing you, such as waking up early. Furthermore, self-discipline will make you aware that you need to focus on homework and revision instead of spending all day playing video games, especially when you have pending assignments and three tests on Monday. You wouldn’t want that, right?

Secondly, I need to remain humble. How? You might ask. Well, everyone has room for improvement. Therefore, soliciting feedback from others, like your teachers, is the simplest way. The reason is that teachers have more experience, and as students, we’re still in the learning phase. They can provide advice on how to enhance your work or skills. If you are arrogant and unwilling to learn from others, no one will want to teach you due to your negative attitude. Moreover, you won’t be able to progress. I was once arrogant when I asked my parents for feedback on my writing and refused to accept that I wasn’t good enough. I struggled to improve, but my dad told me that I needed to change my approach and attitude when asking for their assistance. Since then, I have learned my lesson and become more humble.

Last but not least, I need to be open-minded. Being open-minded can involve stepping out of your comfort zone. If you’re hesitant like me, this can be challenging. I know it’s difficult, but try not to dismiss opportunities out of hand; give them a try and see if they’re as daunting as you imagine. When teachers encourage you to enter competitions, embrace the opportunities they provide; don’t miss the chance. Back in primary school, my English teacher asked me three times to enter a speech festival. I declined twice out of fear, but on the third instance, I accepted and achieved a fantastic result. Therefore, when teachers encourage you to enter competitions, they believe in your abilities. Even if you don’t win, treat it as a learning experience—you have nothing to lose! Moreover, you should participate in diverse activities beyond standard subjects, even if you don’t enjoy all of them—you might discover a hidden talent. Also, taking an interest in world events by watching the news can help you avoid a dismissive mindset and prevent you from being trapped in your comfort zone.

The late motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said, “It’s your attitude, not your aptitude, that will determine your altitude.” In conclusion, maintaining self-discipline, humility, and an open mind is the most crucial key to achieving great things, even if your foundation isn’t the strongest among your classmates. Cultivating these attitudes can even aid your future career.

Poem: Soul

Poem: Soul

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This week,

I’ve never been able to succeed at anything.

I started to feel,

“Is there something wrong with me?”

Then,

I began to monitor every move of my soul,

Seven times.

But I found,

These seven times,

I despised it too.

 

The first time,

Between wide cobblestone avenues and thorny paths,

It chose the former.

 

The second time,

Between lust and reason,

It chose the former.

 

The third time,

Seeing its untended fruit trees failing to bear fruit,

It stole other people’s work.

 

The fourth time,

It could have climbed to the top of the mountain,

But it chose to live halfway up the mountain.

 

The fifth time,

It feared the strong,

But mocked the weak.

 

The sixth time,

It was weak,

But thought that’s how it should be.

 

The seventh time,

It wanted to change,

But it was all talk.

 

I wanted to scold the soul,

But the shaper of souls,

Is me.

(Inspired by “Seven Times I Have Despised My Soul” by Khalil Gibran)

A Wonderful Experience Helping Others

A Wonderful Experience Helping Others

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Last Chinese New Year’s Eve, I volunteered at a local community centre that provides support and resources to underprivileged families. One of my duties was to assist in delivering festive food and necessities to needy families.

As I delivered the items, I had the opportunity to connect with individuals and listen to their stories. One particular encounter deeply touched my heart. This encounter was with an elderly man who lived all by himself without any family members. According to Chinese New Year tradition, people share a big feast with their family to symbolise familial bonds and bless each other with abundance for the forthcoming year. Yet, it seemed as if the festival had highlighted his loneliness. Moreover, he was too weak to take care of his daily chores, but he showed remarkable perseverance and a sense of peace in his heart. He expressed how grateful he was for the support he had received from the community centre in the past and how it had significantly impacted his well-being.

As I interacted with other volunteers, I was struck by their kindness and willingness to help others, even while facing their own challenges. They did not forget to care for the community, embodying the belief that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Overall, this experience of helping others reaffirmed my belief in the inherent goodness within people and strengthened my commitment to continue making a positive difference in the lives of others whenever possible.

Latin, the Language

Latin, the Language

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Although Latin is often considered a dead language, its influence is immortal. It pervades various fields such as Medicine, Science, and Religion.

 

Introduction

Latin (Lingua Latīna) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally the dialect of a tribe called Latium, located in the west-central Apennine Peninsula in Italy. In the 8th century BC, Rome emerged as the center of the Latium region, and the surrounding tribes began to identify themselves as Romānus or Romānī. Following the founding of Rome (Rōma), the civilization experienced the Roman Kingdom (Regnum Romanum) era (7th century BC~510 BC), the Roman Republic (Respublica Romana) era (510 BC~27 BC), and the Roman Empire (Imperium Rōmānum) era (27 BC~476 AD). With the expansion of its territory, Latin not only became dominant in the Apennine Peninsula but also supplanted other languages, establishing itself as the official language of the provinces of the Roman Empire.

 

History

Linguists refer to the earliest form of Latin as “Pre-literary Latin” (prior to 250 BC).

From the 4th century BC, Rome began to expand outward, and by the 1st century BC, all of Italy had been Latinised. However, there was no unified standard for Latin during this period. Linguists refer to the Latin of this period as “Archaic Latin”.

The written language used during the period of Emperor Augustus (Octavius) of the Roman Empire is referred to as “Classical Latin” (Latina Classica) (80 BC~2nd century AD). This era, spanning the late Republic to the early Empire, is roughly equivalent to the Golden Age in the history of Latin literature (90 BC~4 AD) and the Silver Age (14~117 or 180). By the Golden Age, Latin had formed a unified and standardized language, characterized by a rich vocabulary, perfect syntax, and strong expressive power.

“Classical Post-Latin” (14~200), including the Silver Age (14~117 or 118) in literary history, was the language of the early Roman Empire. It still largely adhered to the grammatical norms of the Golden Age, but the syntactic structure evolved, the prose incorporated certain poetic elements, and the rhetoric became richer.

“Vulgar Latin” or “Late Latin” (3rd~6th centuries AD) marks the period from the later Roman Empire to a hundred years after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. During this time, Latin evolved rapidly, especially between the 6th and 8th centuries. Declension largely disappeared, the use of prepositions and auxiliary verbs increased, and the subjunctive form often intermingled with the declarative form. Consequently, Classical Latin gradually diverged from Vulgar Latin and eventually became a written language. Vulgar Latin dialects evolved from the 6th to 9th centuries into the modern Romance languages.

From the early medieval period onward, Latin lost its native speakers. However, Medieval Latin was used across Western and Catholic Europe during the Middle Ages as a working and literary language, from the 9th century to the Renaissance. This developed into a more refined form known as Renaissance Latin, which laid the foundation for Neo-Latin that evolved during the early modern era. During these periods, while Latin was productively used and taught for both writing and speaking, its spoken usage began to erode by the late seventeenth century. Afterward, Latin was predominantly taught for reading purposes.

Ecclesiastical Latin remains the official language of the Holy See and the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in Vatican City. When discussing current uses of Latin, we also refer to Contemporary Latin, which has limited productive use and is seldom spoken. However, a small number of Christian clergy still speak Latin fluently.

In the evolution of Latin into the languages of the Romance language family (such as French, Italian, Catalan, Spanish, Portuguese…), many words lost their grammatical inflection endings, especially declensions, which have mostly disappeared in many Romance languages (with the exception of some pronouns).

Following these developments, Latin continued to decline and eventually became an extinct language.

 

Effects

One of the most significant influences of Latin is undoubtedly the alphabet (alphabetum). The alphabet we use today, known as the Roman or Latin Alphabet, was indirectly derived from the Greek Alphabet between the 7th and 6th centuries BC. This alphabet, used by the Romans, originally consisted of 23 letters. Before the Middle Ages, Romans used “I” to replace “J” and “V” to replace “U”. The letters J, U, and W were added in the 11th century, forming the modern 26-letter alphabet. The ancient Latin Alphabet was written in capital letters only and without punctuation, so the words in inscriptions that we see today are separated by space or dots.

Another significant influence of Latin is its vocabulary (vocabulum). Approximately 50% of English words are derived from Latin. Understanding the roots of a word to find its primitive form is a great way to learn a language. For example, the word “nova” (new) is the primitive word of “novice”, “novel”, “novelty”, and “nova”. The word “prima” (first) is the primitive word of “prime”, “primary”, “primitive”, and “primeval”…

Furthermore, the names of each month also originated from Latin. For instance, “January” (Januarius) is derived from the name of Janus, a god from Roman Mythology. “April” (Aprilis) comes from the Latin word “aperire”, which means “start” or “the start of spring”. “September” signifies “seventh” in Latin, as in the Ancient Roman Calendar, there were only 10 months in a year…

Additionally, many early books and notes were written in Latin. Works such as Isaac Newton’s “The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy” (Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica), Nicolaus Copernicus’ “On The Revolutions” (De revolutionibus orbium coelestium), and Johannes Kepler’s “Mystery of the Cosmos” (Mysterium Cosmographicum) are prime examples…

 

Grammar

Latin is a highly inflected language, with three distinct genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter), six noun cases (nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, ablative, and vocative), five declensions, four verb conjugations, and six tenses (present, imperfect, future, perfect, pluperfect, and future perfect).

The sentence structure in English that we use today typically follows the SVO (subject-verb-object) order. However, in Latin, the general order is SOV (subject-object-verb). For instance, in the sentence “Ego puer sum” (I am a boy), “sum” is the verb and “puer” is the object. Additionally, in Latin, there are no articles, so “puer” can mean either “the boy” or simply “boy”.

 

Some Latin Phrases

If you’ve ever watched Dead Poets Society, you’re likely familiar with the phrase CARPE DIEM. This Latin phrase, used by the Roman poet Horace, expresses the idea that one should enjoy life while one can — it means “seize the day”. However, it actually has a second part, CARPE DIEM, QUAM MINIMUM CREDULA POSTERO, which translates to “seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the next one.”

Another phrase we’re going to introduce is Gaius Julius Caesar’s (Gaius Iulius Caesar) quote, VENI VIDI VICI. This phrase comes from the letter that Gaius Julius Caesar wrote to the Roman Senate (Senatus) after defeating Pharnaces II of the Kingdom of Pontus at the Battle of Zela. It’s a powerful phrase that means “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

The last phrase we’re going to introduce is SEMPER PROGREDIENS. Personally, I find this phrase very meaningful — it means “always progressing”. And progress (processus) is what we should pursue throughout our lives.

 

Conclusion

Latin, such a fascinating language… Sadly, Latin began to fade away in the 6th century, shortly after the fall of Rome in 476 AD. To quote a verse from 2 Samuel 1:23 in the Bible, “In morte quoque non sunt divisi” (Even in death they were not divided).

Poem: The day after the tragedy

Poem: The day after the tragedy

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The day after the tragedy,

I sat on my bed, waiting for sunrise.

I climbed off my bed and slipped on my slippers.

I rinsed the dishes and did the laundry.

I fried some eggs and sprinkled some salt on them.

I slotted the bread in the toaster and waited for it to become toast.

I washed an orange and squeezed it into a juice glass.

I washed the pan, I washed the dishes, I cleaned the stove.

Just like the day I left.

The morning was splendid.

The day after the tragedy,

I sat in the park, waiting for someone to sit beside me.

I watched a jogger run past me, he didn’t even glance my way.

I watched a dog walker stride past me, the dog didn’t even bark at me.

I watched a toddler waddle past me, the child pointed at the apple tree behind me.

I really enjoyed sitting in the park.

Just like the day I left.

The day after the tragedy,

I settled on the couch, waiting for my family to utter a word.

My mom, who was clutching one of my watches, scrubbed it over and over until she couldn’t.

The watch was spotless, it was sparkling, but it was frozen at the time I left.

My dad, who was holding a note I wrote, read it over and over until he couldn’t.

The note was mundane, it was crumpled, but the ink was still as vivid as the day I left.

My brother, who was holding a pen of mine, clicked it over and over until he couldn’t.

The pen wasn’t very expensive, it was flawed, but the ink flowed as smoothly as the day I left.

The room was silent, I could hear a pin drop.

I liked sitting on the couch.

Just like the day I left.

The day after the tragedy.

I tried talking to the body in the morgue.

I smiled at him.

I talked about the sunrise, I talked about breakfast.

I talked about the jogger, I talked about the dog walker.

I talked about the couch, I talked about his parents.

The day after the tragedy.

I sat next to my coffin.

It was drizzling, everyone held an umbrella.

I perched on my tombstone, waiting for them to leave, waiting for the rain to end.

I regretted what I had done, I tried to reenter the body.

But all there was,

Dead silence.

 

Inspiration from the poem——The Morning After I Killed Myself by Meggie Royer

 

K S Lo Can Sing 2023

K S Lo Can Sing 2023

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Introduction

In the past few days, a promotional poster for K S Lo Can Sing 2023 has appeared on our Student Union, Genesis’ Instagram account, and our school English Blog.

But what is K S Lo Can Sing 2023? It’s the final large-scale event of our school year, organized by Genesis and the English Department. As suggested by its name, it’s a singing contest. However, unlike the Christmas Variety Show, the unique feature of K S Lo Can Sing is that participants can only perform English songs.

Having been suspended for four years due to the pandemic, this year’s contest promises to be anything but ordinary…

5A Jason Leung:

Throughout my six years of school life, I’ve only had the chance to watch K S Lo Can Sing twice. This time it definitely carries a lot of significance for me. The past two years of uneasy life under the pandemic have made me cherish every activity that is held. I am looking forward to this show.

Poster of K S Lo Can Sing 2023

Preparation

Like all school events, preparation is crucial. To provide the audience with an optimal viewing experience, participants must check their music and instruments by July 11th. Those working behind the scenes play an equally important role in ensuring that the music and instruments are loud enough, the lighting is operational, and everything is ready for show day.

Mr. Hung is instructing the participants on adjusting the volume of their instruments.

One participant is fine-tuning the volume of his bass.

The participants are testing their instruments.

The Show

After a month of preparation and planning, the show proceeded as scheduled. The moment Genesis’ MCs announced the beginning of the show, all the students were eagerly anticipating the performances.

5C Zhou Manwai, Chairperson of Genesis:

I anticipate that the show will be truly astonishing.
3A Alex Chan:

I am eager to listen to the melodious music and am genuinely excited about the performances.

MCs from Genesis

 

Since the entire show left a deep impression on me, let me introduce you to some of the standout performances.

The first one was “Just Say Hello” by Se jeung yau ye seung tung daai ga gong—a song released in 2022. Unlike the original, their rendition included rap.

4A Hero:

The reason I chose to participate is the three-year pandemic hiatus of K S Lo Can Sing. I seized this opportunity to sign up and perform! Besides, I seldom sing English songs, so I believe it’s a great time to challenge myself.

The song “Just Say Hello” was a fortunate find by my team and me on Instagram’s reels. We all thought the song was excellent, so we chose it as our competition piece. We modified the song a bit, adding some elements we created ourselves. We hope you enjoy it!

The second was “(Oppose)² – How Many Times”, a song released in 2021. What set this team apart was that all the members were MCs.

3D Timo:

I chose to participate because playing the piano is my favorite hobby, and I wanted a stage to perform for everyone. I’m fortunate that my friends invited me to take part in this competition, offering me a fantastic experience.

We are fans of MC Cheung, and “How Many Times” is our favorite English song from MC’s collection. That’s why we selected it as our competition song.

The third performance was “Rewrite the Stars” by Happy3. This song, from my favourite musical film, The Greatest Showman, was wonderfully executed. Despite the performer’s unassuming appearance, the performance was excellent, proving the adage “don’t judge a book by its cover”.

The fourth performance is “How Far I’ll Go” by Diamond gogogo!. This song is from a film that left a significant impression on me, Moana. I remember watching Moana when I was suffering from bronchitis… But let’s return to the topic at hand. A unique characteristic of this team is that the other two participants performed individually during the first half of the show.

3B Diamond:

I wanted to participate because I missed the performances at the Christmas Variety Show and K S Lo Got Talent. I didn’t want to miss out this time.
3D Paco:

I felt really nervous after singing, but I think it was worth it. I’ll definitely participate again next year!

The final performance was “If I Were a Boy” by Krystal, a song released in 2008. This song holds a special place for me as it was often played by my English teacher when I was learning “if-then” sentences in primary school. The most impressive part of the performance was the treble section, which left me in awe.

Krystal, alumni

I’m thrilled to have been able to participate in this event since it’s been cancelled for a few years. I’m extremely grateful to have been awarded First Runner-Up and K S Lo’s Favorite Performance.

Conclusion

K S Lo Can Sing 2023 will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Whether we were participants or part of the audience, the memories from this occasion will endure. As we close the 2022-2023 academic year, let’s hope that K S Lo Can Sing will continue to provide us with memorable experiences in the years to come!