MT 32-DSE

A
ENG LANG
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
PAPER 1
PART A COMPULSORY
S.4 Assignment 4
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART A
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(1) There are two parts (A and B) in this paper. All candidates should attempt Part A. In Part B, you
should attempt either Part B1 (easier section) OR Part B2 (more difficult section). Candidates
attempting Parts A and B2 will be able to attain the full range of levels, while Level 4 will be the
highest level attainable for candidates attempting Parts A and B1.
(2) After the announcement of the start of the examination, you should write your Candidate Number on
the appropriate pages of the Part A Question-Answer Book and the Part B Question-Answer Book
which you are going to attempt.
(3) Write your answers in the spaces provided in the Question-Answer Books. Answers written in the
margins will not be marked.
(4) For multiple-choice questions, you are advised to blacken the appropriate circle with a pencil so that
wrong marks can be completely erased with a clean rubber. Mark only ONE answer to each
question. Two or more answers will score NO MARKS.
(5) Supplementary answer sheets will be supplied on request. Write your Candidate Number and mark
the question number box on each sheet.
(6) No extra time will be given to candidates for filling in the question number boxes after the ‘Time is
up’ announcement.
(7) The two Question-Answer Books you have attempted (one for Part A and one for Part B) will be
collected together at the end of the examination.
(8) The unused Question-Answer Book for Part B will be collected separately at the end of the
examination. This will not be marked. Do not write any answers in it.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART A
(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part A is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.
(2) Attempt ALL questions in Part A. Each question carries ONE mark unless otherwise stated.

Not to be taken away before the

end of the examination session

1
 PART A

Read the following texts and answer questions 1–22 in the Question-Answer Book for Part A.

Text 1

A virtual arm around the shoulder

1 [1] Five years ago, Doctor Henry Wong gave up practising medicine to focus on his real passion:
artificial intelligence. During that time, he has set up a lab developing computer software that
can listen to patients’ symptoms and diagnose what is troubling them. His new book, This won’t
hurt, sets out his vision of the future and the role doctors may—or may not—play in it. Jilly
5 Yeung went to meet him.

Dr Wong, can you tell me why you decided to give up practising medicine?
[2] My two loves have always been medicine and computing. I’m a geek, basically. A few years
ago, I went to a conference about artificial intelligence (AI) and how it could potentially change
the future of medicine. I was blown away. I handed in my resignation letter as soon as I got back
10 to the hospital, and I haven’t looked back since.

What exactly does your company do?

[3] We’re developing a virtual doctor. So essentially, it’s a computer program that takes the
place of your family doctor. You type in your symptoms, and it will ask you a series of questions
in response. The diagnosis is currently around 90 per cent accurate.

15 In your book, you suggest that computers might make faster and more accurate diagnoses
than humans. How is this possible?
[4] Yes, that might seem a little far-fetched, given that the average doctor studies at medical
school for at least six years and may have decades of experience. But what we’re doing is
harnessing computers’ ability to crunch numbers. We’ve built a database that contains thousands
20 of medical concepts. The program learns this data, and makes sense of it for itself. It then begins
to build networks. For example, it learns that pain in the jaw is a symptom of heart attack. It
does this for all symptoms, and all diseases. We are testing and refining the program all the time.
And the computer is also teaching itself: every time it makes a correct diagnosis, it learns from
this, and over time becomes faster and more accurate.

25 Do you think there will ever come a time when computers replace human doctors?
[5] I don’t see this as a contest or a race between man and machine. The two can be
complementary. And actually, this virtual doctor is also about bringing healthcare to those who
don’t have it. In rural Africa, many people do not have access to a healthcare professional. But
imagine if the technology we’re developing could be installed on a mobile phone. Mobile phone
30 usage is widespread in Africa. It could literally save lives, because people who might not bother
making the four-hour trip to the nearest hospital might actually go if a reliable app tells them
they have a life-threatening illness and they need immediate treatment.

What about in developed countries?

[6] In developed countries, artificial intelligence can help relieve the workload of doctors.
35 Computers don’t get tired or need to take holidays. I can imagine a time when all initial
diagnoses are made by machine, and a patient is then referred on to a human doctor to review the
diagnosis, and plan any specialist treatment.

So you do see a role for human doctors in the future?

[7] Absolutely. There’s the human touch, for one thing. I don’t think a machine will ever be able
40 to replace that reassuring arm around your shoulder, and another human being looking you in the
eye and saying ‘I’m going to take care of you.’

2
Text 2
The future of medicine
The world of medicine moves at a break-neck
pace. A hundred years ago, antibiotics were
unheard of and people regularly died from
infections. Today, our hospitals are full of
advanced equipment and our doctors are highly
trained. What can we expected in the next 100
years?
Slide-1
________________________________
This technology is already being used to create
artificial hands and feet. In the future, it may be
possible to print new organs. This will mean that
new drugs can be tested on artificial organs to
check whether they are safe for humans.
Furthermore, those needing a replacement organ
would no longer have to wait for a matching one
to become available.
Slide-2
________________________________
Pokémon GO got people walking more and has
been responsible for increased levels of fitness
for those playing it. So why not do something
similar with medicine? One company has
designed a medicine bottle that glows blue when
it is time for you to take your next dose. If you
forget to take your medicine, the light changes to
red. It’s fun, and this could be enough to change
people’s behaviour.
Slide-3
END OF READING PASSAGES
3
________________________________
Soon it might be a robot handing you your
medicine, not a nurse. Medical robots will
become commonplace in hospitals and care
homes for the sick and elderly. They will be
responsible for helping people stand up and
walk, and can carry them safely from
wheelchair to bed if necessary. Robot nurses
will also be able to take blood samples and
make a simple diagnosis.
Slide-4
________________________________
Gadgets have been implanted in our bodies to
repair damage and help manage disease.
Pacemakers are already widely used to
regulate the beating of the heart, but, in the
future, people without medical conditions may
ask for an implant to enhance their senses. A
surgeon could ask for an eye implant, to give
him/her super-human sight, and a musician
might ask for an implant in the ear to enhance
hearing.
Slide-5
________________________________
This is a mechanical skeleton containing
motors and is designed to fit around and
support the human body. It allows people who
have lost the use of their limbs to move again.
In early trials, one person who had been in a
wheelchair for 20 years was able to walk using
the robotic skeleton.
Slide-6
 Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

MOCK TEST 32
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART A
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK
A
COMPULSORY

Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Texts 1–2 and answer questions 1–22. (37 marks)

Text 1

1 What does ‘During that time’ refer to in paragraph 1?

the five years since Dr (Henry) Wong gave up practising medicine

2 Which word in paragraph 2 suggests that Dr Wong knows a lot about technology?
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

geek

3 What effect did the artificial intelligence conference have on Dr Wong?

It had a big effect on him: he handed in his resignation letter straight afterwards/as soon as
he got back to the hospital.

4 ‘I haven’t looked back since’ (line 10) means Dr Wong …

A wishes he had made the decision a long time ago.
B has already forgotten about his old life.
C sometimes wishes he was still a doctor. A B C D
D has no regrets about his decision.    

5 According to paragraph 4, why might some people be doubtful about a computer’s ability to diagnose
quicker and faster than a human doctor?

Because the average doctor studies at medical school for at least six years and may have
decades of experience.

6 Match the main points (A–D) with one of the corresponding paragraphs on the left. Write the correct
letter on the line next to the paragraph number. ONE main point is not used. (3 marks)

Paragraph No. Main point

i) Paragraph 2 B A The computer analyses thousands of symptoms to make a
diagnosis.
ii) Paragraph 3 D B Dr Wong is fascinated by the idea of artificial intelligence in
medicine.
iii) Paragraph 4 A C There is a limit to how much computers can do in medicine.
D The virtual doctor is already very accurate.
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

1
 7 If someone was suffering from a heart attack, where might they feel pain?
A in their head
B in their neck
C in the side of their face A B C D
D at the tip of their tongue    

8 According to paragraphs 3–4, are the following statements True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG)?
(4 marks)

Statements T F NG
i) To get a diagnosis from the virtual doctor, the patient asks it   
questions.
ii) The accuracy of the virtual doctor has increased dramatically.   
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

iii) The computer can learn by itself, without help from humans.   

iv) If the computer makes an incorrect diagnosis, it slows down.   

9 Order the following events in Dr Wong’s life. Number the events (1–5). The first event has been done
for you.
Dr Wong’s career
Stopped working as a doctor 3
Wrote a book about doctors in the future 5
Practised medicine 1
Started developing a virtual doctor 4
Attended a conference about artificial intelligence 2

10 What definition of ‘complementary’ is closest to the meaning used in line 27?

A free, costing nothing
B admiring of someone
C working together in harmony A B C D
D very useful    

11 How can a virtual doctor help those living in poorer countries? Find ideas mentioned in paragraph 5
and match them with the examples given in the column on the right. (2 marks)
Idea mentioned in paragraph 5 Examples

(i) It can bring healthcare to those who don’t have it. In rural Africa, many people do not
have access to a healthcare
professional.

(ii) It could (literally) save lives. People might be willing to go to

hospital if a dependable app tells
them they need urgent treatment.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

2
 12 What two advantages of computers are not shared by human doctors?

They don’t get tired or need to take holidays.

13 Complete this summary of paragraphs 6 and 7 by choosing a word from the eight options given below.
Write the correct word in each space provided. Each word can be used ONCE only. (3 marks)
diagnoses guesses money operations
patient reassurance time workload

In the future, computers will help doctors by taking on some of their (i) workload .
They will also make (ii) diagnoses before doctors see the patients. However, it is
unlikely that computers will ever be able to replace human doctors because they won’t be able to
offer the patient (iii) reassurance .
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

14 Choose the best alternative title for this article.
A Computers are now smarter than the average doctor
B Computers could reduce healthcare costs
C Computers to assist doctors in making diagnoses
D Don’t expect sympathy from a computer A B C D
   

Text 2

15 In slide 1, the writer mentions people dying from infections to show …

how much medicine has advanced in the last 100 years.

16 What does the word ‘one’ (slide 2) refer to?

a replacement organ

17 i) According to slide 2, how could the technology make medicine less risky? (1 mark)

New drugs can be tested on artificial organs to check whether they are safe.
ii) With the technology, what would be the benefit for those waiting for an organ transplant? (1 mark)

They would not have to wait for a matching organ to become available.

18 According to slide 3, what should a patient do if their medicine bottle glows blue?
A take their medicine straightaway
B forget to take their medicine
C throw their medicine away
D ask their doctor for more medicine A B C D
   

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

3
 19 Complete the following summary using ideas given in slide 4. Write ONE word on each blank.
Answers must be grammatically correct. (3 marks)

In the future, medical robots will hand patients their (i) medicine . They will help
them move, including (ii) carrying them to a wheelchair or bed. Nurse robots will
be able to take samples of (iii) blood and tell people what is wrong with them.
Answers written in the margins will not be

Answers written in the margins will not be

20 Complete the sentence with ONE word from slide 5.

In the future, some healthy people may ask to have implants fitted in their body to

enhance their senses.

21 Find a word in slide 6 that means ‘experiments’.

trials
marked.

marked.
22 Match the headings to each slide of Text 2. Write the slide number next to each heading. One heading
is NOT used. (5 marks)

Headings Slide number 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

i) The future of medicine 1

ii) Robot assistants 4

iii) Medical implants 5

iv) Making medicine fun 3

v) 3D medical printing 2

vi) Robotic skeleton 6

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

END OF PART A

4
MT 32-DSE

B1
ENG LANG
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
PAPER 1
PART B1 EASY SECTION
MOCK TEST 32
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B1
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Refer to the General Instructions on Page 1 of the Reading Passages booklet for Part A.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B1

(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part B1 is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.
(2) Candidates who choose Part B1 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries ONE
mark unless otherwise stated.
(3) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.

1
 Part B1

Read Texts 3–4 and answer questions 23–43 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B1.

Text 3

A shadow of the past lingers in Hong Kong’s school uniforms

1 [1] Ask any number of people in Hong Kong to describe what students wear to school and their
answers would probably be similar: a dark tailored blazer with the school’s badge, a crisp white
shirt, a tie, a skirt if you’re a girl and trousers if you’re a boy. The school uniform is a remnant of
the colonial era, and has been so successfully preserved that many uniforms in Hong Kong are
5 indistinguishable from those in the UK. In fact, the average Hong Kong student would not look out
of place if transported into a British classroom. But Hong Kong is no longer a colonial outpost; the
British left in 1997. So why continue to perpetuate what is essentially an imported Western
tradition?

[2] Mr Liu, principal of Kam Sheung High School, expects all his students to observe the school’s
10 dress code. He is so strict that he’ll send students home if they forget their tie. ‘It’s not about
punishing them,’ he explains. ‘It’s about introducing them to discipline. These are the rules and they
have to follow them. Students need to learn about conformity. We don’t reward them for making
fashion statements.’

[3] Indeed, the school uniform removes any pressure about how you look and how you’re dressed:
15 everyone looks the same. Lauren Chan, a student at Kam Sheung High School, is a fan of her school
uniform which consists of black shoes, grey skirt, white shirt, maroon tie and black blazer. ‘The
uniform is a symbol that we’re part of the same community, we have the same school spirit,’ she
says. ‘Plus, I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to wear every day. I know what I’m
wearing—it’s a uniform!’ A lack of preoccupation with fashion decisions must also help students
20 focus on what is really important: their studies. Fashion choices are not a distraction.

[4] Lauren, whose parents struggle financially, is also thankful that the school uniform creates
equality between students, meaning that she does not get teased for the way she looks. School
uniforms are a great leveller: there is no gulf between the rich and poor. The rich kid whose parents
can afford to buy him chic trousers or glamorous shirts is dressed in exactly the same way as the
25 poorest student in the school. This would not be the case if students were given free rein on what to
wear. Of course, rich students can still stand out from the crowd if they have the latest phones and
smartwatches, but generally these are not obviously on view.

[5] One can understand wanting to instill discipline and promote a sense of equality at secondary
school, when peer pressure and teenage angst really kick in, but Hong Kong’s devotion to the
30 school uniform starts much, much earlier than that. At private kindergartens, tiny children turn up
for classes decked out in cute sailor outfits or mini suits. It must be heart-warming for parents to see
their little ones looking so sweet, dressed in mini formal wear, but perhaps it is less enjoyable for
the toddlers, struggling to play and jump around in their stiff blazers and trousers.

[6] Is it this heart-warming feeling that stokes the city’s love affair with the school uniform? Hong
35 Kong is one of the most modern, cosmopolitan, tech-savvy cities in the world, its famous skyline
gleaming with ever-higher skyscrapers. There is something charming and otherworldly about seeing
rows of clean-cut students, immaculately dressed head to toe in their traditional uniforms. It’s a
shadow of Hong Kong’s past, but one that we seem reluctant to let go of.

2
 Text 4

1 [1] In the article, A shadow of the past lingers in Hong Kong’s school uniforms, the writer
mentioned that in many schools, uniform rules are different for boys and girls. Often boys are
required to wear a tie but girls are not; and girls may have to wear skirts while boys wear trousers.
But I would ask: How is this ‘a great leveller’?
5 [2] I am not against students wearing uniforms, but I do think we need to be more consistent and
fair in what we ask students to wear. I would encourage a move towards gender-neutral uniforms,
where everyone wears trousers and ties—including the girls. Why should girls and boys dress
differently? If we want to combat inequality between the sexes, all students should dress the same,
regardless of gender. In addition, this will help any students struggling with their gender identity as
10 all students will look the same.
[3] If the idea is for a uniform to show that we are all equal, and all belong to the same community,
then the clothes students wear should be the same for everyone.

END OF READING PASSAGES

3
 Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

MOCK TEST 32
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B1
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK
B1
EASY SECTION

Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Texts 3–4 and answer questions 23–43. (33 marks)

Text 3

23 Which item of clothing is NOT mentioned as part of a typical Hong Kong school uniform in
paragraph 1?
A B C D
   
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

A B C D

24 Complete the sentence with one word from paragraph 1 of the text.

Most students from Hong Kong would fit in perfectly in a UK classroom .

25 Find a word in paragraph 1 with the same meaning as ‘something left behind’.

remnant

26 What does Mr Liu do if a student comes to school incorrectly dressed?

He sends them home.

27 What does the first ‘them’ in line 12 refer to?

the rules

28 In paragraph 3, does Lauren agree with Mr Liu? Give a reason for your answer.

Yes, she does. She agrees that uniforms teach students about conformity. She says, ‘The uniform is

a symbol that we’re part of the same community.’

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

1
 29 How do uniforms benefit students? Find ideas mentioned in paragraph 3 and match them with
examples given in the column on the right. (3 marks)

Idea mentioned in paragraph 3 Examples

(e.g.) It removes any pressure about how you look. Everyone looks the same.

(i) It is a symbol. It makes students feel like they are part of a

community.
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(ii) It makes life easier/you don’t have to worry You don’t have to decide what to wear
every morning.
about what to wear.

(iii) It helps students focus on their studies. Fashion is not a distraction.

30 Which of the following can replace ‘Of course’ (line 26)?

A Alternatively
B Naturally
C Unfortunately A B C D
D In conclusion    

31 Complete this summary of paragraphs 3 and 4 by choosing a word from the six options given below.
Write the correct word in the space provided. Each word can be used ONCE only. (3 marks)

appearance economic expensive

gender opportunities rare

School uniforms are an effective way of evening out (i) economic differences between
students because all students have the same (ii) appearance . Richer students may own
some (iii) expensive items, but these are not generally seen.

32 In paragraph 5, what reasons does the writer give in favour of school uniforms at secondary school?

to instill discipline and promote a sense of equality

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

2
 33 According to paragraph 5, are the following statements True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG)?
(2 marks)

Statements T F NG

(i) Students begin wearing uniforms at a very young age in Hong Kong.   

(ii) Uniforms cost a lot of money and are only worn for a short amount   
of time.

34 What does the phrase ‘struggling to play and jump around’ (line 33) suggest about the writer’s
attitude towards school uniforms for very young children?

The writer is not in favour of uniforms for very young children (and think they should wear clothes

that offer more freedom).

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

35 What does the writer mean by ‘stokes the city’s love affair’ (line 34)?
A makes people feel romantic
B provides an explanation for
C makes something less important A B C D
D keeps something popular    

36 Match the main points (A–D) with one of the corresponding paragraphs on the left. Write the correct
letter (A–D) on the line next to the paragraph number. ONE main point is not used. (3 marks)

Paragraph no. Main point

i) Paragraph 4 D A Students start wearing uniforms at a very young age.

ii) Paragraph 5 A B Hong Kong is one of the most modern cities in the world.

iii) Paragraph 6 C C We may hold onto the idea of uniforms for sentimental reasons.

D Uniforms promote a sense of equality.

37 The tone of the text can best be described as …

A critical of outdated traditions.
B angry that so little has changed.
C affectionate towards Hong Kong. A B C D
D supportive of educationalists.    

Text 4

38 What example does the writer give of different uniform standards for the two sexes?

boys have to wear a tie and girls do not/girls have to wear skirts while boys wear trousers

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

3
 39 Find a word in paragraph 2 with the same meaning as ‘challenge’.

combat

40 Below is a summary of paragraph 2. In three of the lines, there is ONE mistake. If you find a mistake,
underline the mistake and replace the word with one that expresses the correct idea. Write the word in
the space on the right. If there is no mistake, put a tick () in the space. The first has been done for you.
(4 marks)

Summary Correction

e.g. The rules about school uniforms are not inconsistent enough. With consistent

i) gender-neutral uniforms, everyone wears the same clothes. Gender-neutral

ii) uniforms are an important way to tackle equality between the sexes. They
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

iii) are helpful to people facing questions about their gender personality.

iii) They are a sign that we all behave to the same group.

41 Which of the following can replace ‘regardless’ (line 9)?

A related to
B because of
C as well as A B C D
D in spite of    

42 Do you agree that in order to promote gender equality, the clothes students wear ‘should be the same
for everyone’? Explain your answer. (2 marks)

Yes, because if students wear different clothes, it automatically sends a signal that there is a

difference between the sexes./No, because we shouldn’t judge people on what they wear. We

should treat everyone equally, regardless of how they are dressed.

43 Look at Texts 3–4 and match them to the list of titles in the column below. Write the correct number (3,
4) in the box on the right. One title is NOT used and should be marked with an ‘X’. (2 marks)

Titles Text 3/4

i) It’s time students stopped wearing uniforms X

ii) Let’s rethink the rules about uniforms 4
iii) Some uniforms never go out of fashion 3

END OF PART B1

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.