24 ENGL A200 Analysing English Grammar

Assignment 4
Due date: 31 March 2024
Weighting: 12.5% of the total marks for this course

Instructions

The purpose of this assignment is to assess your understanding of Unit

7 Analysing complex sentences and Unit 8 Grammar in context. Answer
all questions in both sections and, in your answers, use the terminology
adopted in the study units.

Section A

Question 1: Noun clauses (20 marks)

Underline the noun clauses in the sentences given below and state the
function of each by following the example.

Example: It’s unlikely the weather will improve any time soon.

Answer: It’s unlikely the weather will improve any time soon.
Function: extraposed noun clause subject

1 I wonder what has happened to the missing kids.

2 The final episode of the drama was what I liked most.

3 Rebecca’s misfortune made her what she is today.

4 The reason that he quitted his job is a mystery.

5 The convict did not show any real regret for what he did in the court.

6 I am worried that she is going to be an extremist.

7 The rumour that he was a Chinese spy proved to be unfounded.

8 Who is the least popular government official in Hong Kong is not

difficult to guess.

9 That her husband didn’t send her any birthday present tore her heart
apart.

10 She told me that she had a heart attack last week.

 Assignment File 25

Question 2: Relative and adverb clauses (20 marks)

State the specific type of adverb clauses (AC) or relative clauses (RC)
in the given sentences:

• AC (time), AC (condition), AC (reason), AC (concession),

AC (comparison), AC (place);

• RC (restrictive), RC (non-restrictive)

Follow the example.

Example:
To avoid a scandal he had to disappear, (which was the wisest course
for him to take) [1], (since he had no choice in the matter) [2].

Answers:
[1] = RC (non-restrictive)
[2] = AC (reason)

1 For generations, the people of Hong Kong have endured difficult

circumstances and yet managed to work hard at developing skills
(that make them competitive in the global business arena) [1].

2 Hong Kong had natural geographical advantages (which made it a

popular destination for international trade) [2].

3 It is not quite time to panic yet, (since Hong Kong’s advantage

with the Chinese language will still equip residents with more
competitive business skills) [3].

4 Hong Kong can hardly call itself an international city (if only a
concentrated minority have a high proficiency in a second language)
[4].

5 The government and the people must not underestimate the

importance of sustainable, long-term policies (that will ensure our
city becomes an increasingly attractive place to live and work) [5].

6 The mainland has been acutely aware of that (as it strives to meet
its goal of teaching another 43 million people to read and write
adequately by 2015) [6].

7 The government has to do far more (before it can claim victory) [7].

8 The challenge is bigger (than I expected) [8].

9 Their definition of literacy is being able to read and write 950

characters — (even though it is widely accepted that 1,500 are
necessary to negotiate a newspaper and between 5,000 and 10,000
are encountered in everyday life) [9].

10 Approximately 65% of the wealthy send their children overseas to

study — (where they can easily forget language basics) [10].
26 ENGL A200 Analysing English Grammar

Question 3: Terminology (10 marks)

Explain the following terms in your own words and identify one
example of each term in the text titled ‘The inbetweeners’. Follow the
example.

Example: An adverb clause of manner

Answer: An adverb clause of manner modifies the main clause in terms

of manner to answer the question ‘How’
One example from the given text:
Paragraph 4: They use English as if they are treated as locals.

1 A non-restrictive relative clause

2 A reduced restrictive relative clause

3 A relative clause with a subject-subject relationship with its

antecedent

4 A relative clause with an object-subject relationship with its

antecedent

The inbetweeners

[Paragraph 1] For many young, educated mainlanders living

in Hong Kong finding their place in society can be an uphill,
hostile struggle. Hedy Bok and Ernest Kao, who graduated in
one of the Hong Kong universities, meet some of these drifters
to get the lowdown on their lives in the SAR.

[Paragraph 2] Caught in the middle are the gang piao, or ‘Hong

Kong drifters’, a term coined in mainland Internet chat rooms
to refer to young, educated individuals from north of the border
who now live and work in Hong Kong.

[Paragraph 3] Under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle,

these expatriates from the same country must grapple with
a culture and language that are different yet similar. Their
‘drifting’ must be temporary, but most are keen to fit in.

[Paragraph 4] Many think twice about using broken Cantonese

when ordering food at restaurants, but also hesitate to use
Putonghua. They use English as if they are treated as locals.

Source (adapted): Bok, H., & Kao, E. (2013, June 23). Gang piao: the ‘Hong
Kong drifters’ caught in the middle. Post Magazine. https://www.scmp.com/
magazines/post-magazine/article/1264849/inbetweeners.
 Assignment File 27

Section B

Question 4: Concept of register (10 marks)

In 100–120 words, explain the meaning of ‘context-sensitive’ language

use and the factors that govern the variation of usage with some
illustrations.

Do not copy directly from the course materials. Provide a word count
at the end of your answer — failure to do so will incur a one-mark
deduction. If the number of words exceeds the word limit, this will also
incur a one-mark deduction.

Question 5: The register of academic texts (20 marks)

Write in 180–200 words on the lexical and grammatical characteristics

of academic writing. In your answer, relate the identified characteristics
to their use in achieving an appropriate ‘academic register.’

Do not copy directly from the course materials. Provide a word count
at the end of your answer — failure to do so will incur a one-mark
deduction. If the number of words exceeds the word limit, this will also
incur a one-mark deduction.

Question 6: The register of newspaper texts (20 marks)

Take some examples from the given text to write in 180–200 words on
the lexical and grammatical characteristics of newspaper language. Your
answer should relate the identified characteristics to their function in
newspaper texts.

Do not copy directly from the course materials. Provide a word count
at the end of your answer — failure to do so will incur a one-mark
deduction. If the number of words exceeds the word limit, this will also
incur a one-mark deduction.

Breivik regrets not killing more

Agence France-Presse in Oslo

A smug smile crossed the face of Anders Breivik when Judge

Wenche Elisabeth Arntzen read a ruling that found him legally
sane and sentenced him to 21 years in jail.

When the sentence was read, a low mutter rumbled through the
courtroom, which was packed with survivors of the 22 July 2011
massacre and friends and relatives of the dead, as well as a host
of international journalists and cameramen.

Minutes before the verdict, when Breivik entered the courtroom

dressed in a dark suit and grey tie, he had raised his clenched fist
in a right-wing salute as soon as court security officers released
his handcuffs.
28 ENGL A200 Analysing English Grammar

The killer then sat in court mostly impassively, fiddling with a

pen — the flexible kind that cannot be used as a weapon — and
occasionally sipping water, as the presiding judges read out the
lengthy justification for the sentence.

Later Breivik said he would not appeal the sentence.

‘Since I don’t recognise the authority of the court I cannot

legitimise the Oslo district court by accepting the verdict,’ he
said. ‘At the same time I cannot appeal the verdict, because by
appealing it I would legitimise the court.’

Then, Breivik said he wanted to apologise, but not to the

victims, mostly teenagers gunned down in one of the worst
massacres in modern history.

‘I wish to apologise to all militant nationalists that I wasn’t able

to execute more,’ Breivik said.

Lawyers, police and relatives and friends of the dead quietly

followed the proceedings in the heavily guarded courtroom,
which was purpose-built for Breivik’s trial.

Among them were leaders and members of the Labour Party’s

youth wing — the target of Breivik’s mass slaughter on Otoeya
island — who could be seen hugging one another at the start of
the hearing.

Source (adapted): AFP. (2012, August 25). Breivik regrets not killing
more. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/news/world/
article/1022769/ breivik-regrets-not-killing-more.