Friday 29 May 2009

Vocabulary: News Article "Tough questions at rumpus school"

Today, I read an article on the Standard and I think that it was very well written as the author has used a variety of vocabulary which definitely suits my taste.


Of course, there are many many articles you can read in a day and there might be a whole lot of words you need to learn, but I myself enjoyed the moments of checking dictionary for meanings,usage and IPA because,


"One word learnt is one word MORE in your head, LESS in your guess." -- Locky

And after checking each word, don't forget to try to relate the words to something to help you remember them. Such as relating the words to the spelling of the word (if possible) or a story you can think of.






Here is the entire article:
Tough questions at rumpus school

NickkitaLau

Friday, May 29, 2009


Education chief Michael Suen Ming- yeung has been rapped on the knuckles for remarks about the troubled Pegasus Philip Wong Kin Hang Christian Primary and Junior Secondary School.
According to him, the school in Yau Tong is not equipped to conduct both primary and secondary classes.

Vexed by that view, Hong Kong Education Policy Concern Organization chairman Mervyn Cheung Man-ping said yesterday the Education Bureau should not therefore have approved an application to run junior secondary classes.

This came after officers from the Independent Commission Against Corruption raided the school late on Wednesday. They took away boxes said to contain evidence.

Suen said the bureau did not ask the graft busters to get involved. However, the bureau has appointed three people to the school's management committee specifically to look into the accounts.

They start work on Monday to ensure a transition of operating rights to the bureau before July 14 so a new sponsoring body can be in place by September 1.

On facilities, Suen said the premises were designed as a primary school and could not accommodate a secondary school at the same time. Still, remaining junior high students may be able to finish the curriculum, he added, and the bureau contacted parents over the past few days to canvass their views ahead of selecting a new sponsoring body. A set of criteria will be announced early next week.

But Cheung wanted Suen to explain why bureaucrats gave approval for primary and junior secondary programs if the premises were inadequate. A decision on a secondary program should be made after consultations with parents and students, Cheung added. He fears a hasty decision will cut interest of potential sponsoring bodies and spur students to go elsewhere.

Board member Ada Wong Ying-kay, meanwhile, claimed that when Carmen Leung Suk-ching was principal she failed to provide documents, which led to incomplete audits. And a parent said Leung admitted at a Parents Teachers Association meeting she was being checked by the ICAC.

The school was named after Ada Wong's father, Philip Wong, and she felt disappointed the ICAC was involved.

She also urged the Pegasus Social Service Christian Organization to stop releasing "inaccurate information."



Vocabulary:
rumpus -- [informal] a lot of noise, especially a loud and confused argument or complaint
to rap sb over/on the knuckles for sth -- to speak officially to someone, in a severe or angry way, because you disapprove of their actions
to be equipped -- to be given someone the skills they need to do a particular thing
vexed by -- Made Angry, annoyed or upset by someone
raided -- (of the police) entered a place suddenly in order to find someone or something
be said to -- [+ to be + noun or adjective] When something or someone is said to be a particular thing, that is what people think or believe about them
graft busters -- officials who fight the act of obtaining money or advantage through the dishonest use of political power and influence
be in place of sth/sb -- instead of sth or sb
to canvass -- to try to discover information or opinions by asking people
inadequate -- not good enough
hasty -- describes something that is done in a hurry, sometimes without the necessary care or consideration
to spur sb to do sth--to encourage someone to do something or make it happen faster
to urge sb to do sth-- to strongly advise or try to persuade someone to do a particular thing






Picture source:
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/newsimage/20090529/5_2009052821053900193SUEN.jpg



Resources:
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=82768&sid=24029680&con_type=1&d_str=20090529&fc=8