English Paper II Writing Topics for HKDSE

ENGLISH PAPER II WRITING TOPICS FOR HKDSE

Content Social Issues/ Debate

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Short Stories

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Poems and Songs

p.10

Pop culture

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Drama

p.10

Sports Communication

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Workplace Communication

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Remarks: All the topics are based on the electives for HKDSE. Underlined topics mean they can also be in other electives. e.g.: Social Issues/Debate: 40. Does participation in sports keep teens out of trouble? (This topic can also be in Sports Communication.) Written by byebyelah from lsforum

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English Paper II Writing Topics for HKDSE

Social Issues/Debate: 1. Is global climate change man-made? 2. Is the death penalty effective? 3. Is our election process fair? 4. Do colleges put too much stock in standardized test scores? 5. Is torture ever acceptable? 6. Should men get paternity leave from work? 7. Is a lottery a good idea? 8. Do we have a fair taxation system? 9. Do curfews keep teens out of trouble? 10. Is cheating out of control? 11. Are we too dependent on computers? 12. Are parents clueless about child predators on the Internet? 13. Should animals be used for research? 14. Should cigarette smoking be banned? 15. Are cell phones dangerous? 16. Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy? 17. Are test scores a good indication of a school's competency? 18. Do we have a throw-away society? 19. Is child behavior better or worse than it was years ago? 20. Should companies market to children? 21. Should the government have a say in our diets? 22. Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy? 23. Does access to condoms lead to irresponsible, dangerous, or bad behavior? 24. Are actors and professional athletes paid too much? 25. Are CEOs paid too much? 26. Do violent video games cause behavior problems? 27. Should creationism be taught in public schools? 28. Are beauty pageants exploitive? 30. Should the racing industry be forced to use biofuels? 31. When should parents let teens make their own decisions? 33. Should the military be allowed to recruit at high schools? 34. Should the alcoholic drinking age be increased or decreased? 35. Does age matter in relationships? 36. What age is appropriate for dating? 37. Should gay couples be able to marry? 38. Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school? 39. Does boredom lead to trouble? Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

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40. Does participation in sports keep teens out of trouble? 41. Is competition good? 42. Does religion cause war? 43. Should the government provide health care? 45. Is fashion important? 47. Is homework harmful or helpful to students? 48. Should students be allowed to grade their teachers? 49. Is the cost of college too high? 50. Is college admission too competitive? 51. Do we have the right to exhume bodies of prominent people and move them from one place to another? 52. Should men be allowed to have more than one wife? 53. Plastic surgeries: a way to become more beautiful, or someone’s unhealthy idea? 54. In some Asian countries cutting off thief’s right hand is still commonly practiced. Do you think this is the best way out? 55. A maniac killed 15 little girls and was sentenced to death. One of the local TV stations was asked by the parents of victims to show his execution. The channel gave its agreement, but the translation was later cancelled. Give your opinion on this situation. 56. Do you agree that there is art for the masses, and elite culture? How do you feel about being “the mass”? 57. A letter to the editor on children obesity in Hong Kong 58. A letter to the editor on illegal music downloading on the Internet (Pop Culture) 59. A letter to the editor on child abuse 60. A letter to the editor on drug abuse among teenagers 61. A letter to the editor on smoking among teenagers 62. Your friend is concerned about his/her grades. Even though they are good, he/she still stays awake for half of the night getting the assignments and extra credit work ready. Convince your friend that wearing him/herself out is not the best idea. 63. A friend of yours, a skinny girl, thinks that she needs to lose a few pounds. Tell her why losing more weight will only damage her health. 64. As a result of political instabilities, a local political organization reacts severely to the acts of the government. It plans to throw an act of protest. You know that this party is dangerous. Your friend, however, is inspired and wants to join. Tell him about possible consequences of getting into something that is not trustworthy. Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

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65. You think that school uniform destroys you as an individual. Write a persuasive letter to your principal. 66. Is it important to know more than one foreign language? 67. Should students be allowed to have cell phones in elementary and high schools? 68. Should students have to wear uniforms? 69. Should college athletes be paid for playing? 70. Should the elderly receive free bus rides? 71. Should state colleges be free to attend? 72. Should marijuana be legal for medicinal purposes? 73. 74. 75. 76.

Should the voting age be lowered to thirteen? Should the driving age be raised to twenty-one? Should students be paid for having good grades? Should illegal immigrants be allowed to get drivers licenses?

77. 78. 79. 80. 81.

Should not wearing a seat-belt be illegal? Should students’ textbooks be replaced by notebook computers? Should students have to pass a basic skills test to graduate high school? Should schools raise money by selling candy and sugary soft drinks to students? Should schools serve french-fries and fried potato products to students at lunch?

82. 83. 84. 85. 86.

Should students’ grades in gym affect their grade point averages? Should girls be allowed to play on boys sports teams? Should teens be able to buy violent video games? Should boys and girls be in separate classes? Should teenage girls be allowed to get birth control without the permission of their parents? Should our country have a universal health care program? Should immigration laws be reformed? Should the federal government recognize civil unions? Should people who download music and movies illegally be punished?

87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94.

Should school athletes have to be on the honor roll to play in games? Should music with curse words be allowed at school dances? Should public schools begin the day with a silent prayer time? Should students be able to listen to MP3 players on headphones during study hall? 95. Should schools offer fast food options like McDonald’s? 96. Should smoking be allowed at parks and other outdoor public venues? 97. Should cities offer free public Wi-Fi? Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

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98. Should the government place a tax on junk food and fatty snacks? 99. Should people traveling in airplanes have to undergo intensive security screenings? 100. Should teachers have to pass a basic skills test every ten years to renew their certification? 101. Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals like chimpanzees or tigers? 102. Should people be allowed to keep pit-bull dogs? 103. Should the city offer a bike sharing program? 104. Should there be an ordinance citing people who play music too loudly $50? 105. Should prostitution be legalized and regulated by the government? 106. Should celebrities who break the law face stricter penalties? 107. Should the government increase spending on the space program? 108. Should larger passengers have to pay for two plane or movie theater tickets? 109. Should there be tougher federal restrictions for content on the internet? 110. Should owners be legally accountable for clearing snow from sidewalks on their property? 111. Should sexual education be taught in public schools? 112. Should students be able to get free condoms at school? 113. Should students who commit cyber bullying be suspended from school? 114. Should corporations be allowed to advertise in schools? 115. Should students be allowed to eat during class? 116. Should more be done to protect and preserve endangered animals? 117. Is it appropriate for students and teachers to be friends on Facebook? 118. Should students have open campus lunch periods? 119. Should abortions be legal? 120. Should abortions be legal in cases of rape and incest? 121. Should the death penalty be used to punish violent criminals? 122. Should students learn about world religions in public schools? 123. Should schools start later in the morning? 124. Should politicians be allowed to accept campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists? 125. Should people with terminal illnesses have the right to doctor assisted suicides? 126. Should stem cell researchers be able to use stem cells from aborted babies to cure diseases? 127. Should school athletes have to take drug tests? 128. Should professional athletes have to take drug tests? 129. Should high school students have to complete community service hours to graduate? Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

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130. Should scientists be allowed to test products intended for human use on animals? 131. Should unhealthy fast food products be sold with a warning label? 132. Should there be a tariff or tax on products manufactured outside of the country? 133. Should students or teachers receive money for scoring well on standardized tests? 134. Should everyone under the age of 17 have a 9:00 PM curfew? 135. Should schools with low scores on standardized tests be closed? 136. Should minors be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages in their homes with their parents’ consent? 137. Should students be allowed to drop out before they turn 18 years old? 138. Should alcohol manufacturers be allowed to advertise on television? 139. Should students as young as fourteen be allowed to hold jobs? 140. Should American families have a two child max rule to limit population growth? 141. Should children younger than thirteen be allowed to watch MTV or music videos? 142. Should people who are caught driving drunk lose their licenses for a year? 143. Should students who fail their classes be retained and have to repeat the grade? 144. Should large businesses and corporations be required to employee a number of minorities proportionate to the population? 145. Should female construction workers earn the same wages as males? 146. Should children in temporary living situations with a 3.0 GPA earn free college tuition? 147. Should gambling and sports betting be illegal or should the government regulate it? 148. Should children who commit violent crimes be tried as adults? 149. Should the government be allowed to detain suspected terrorists without trial? 150. Should the government censor internet content deemed inappropriate? 151. Should teachers have to wear uniforms or have a dress code? 152. Should teachers be allowed to have cell phones in the classroom? 153. Should the state execute dogs that have bitten someone? 154. Should talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving be illegal?

Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

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Short Stories: 155. A memorable wedding or funeral 156. One minute of a football game (or other sporting event) 157. Your first day at a new school or college 158. Your first day at a new job 159. Your last day on a job 160. A disastrous date 161. A moment of failure or success 162. An encounter that changed your life 163. An experience that led to renewed faith 164. A strange job interview 165. An experience that demonstrated how labor-saving devices can be more trouble than they're worth 166. An experience that left you disillusioned 167. An embarrassing experience 168. A frightening experience 169. A memorable journey 170. An encounter with someone or something you were afraid of 171. An occasion when you experienced rejection 172. Your first visit to the country (or to a large city) 173. The breakup of a friendship 174. An experience that showed how we should be careful of what we wish for 175. A significant misunderstanding 176. A dangerous experience 177. An experience that showed how appearances can be deceiving 178. An account of a difficult decision that you had to make 179. An event that marked a turning point in your life 180. A historic event 181. A memorable encounter with someone in authority 182. An act of heroism or cowardice 183. An imaginary encounter with a real person 184. A rebellious act 185. A brush with greatness 186. A brush with death 187. School life in year 2150 188. Give a new ending to a fable 189. A time that you took a stand on an important issue 190. An experience that altered your view of someone Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

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191. A trip that you would like to take 192. A vacation trip from your childhood 193. An account of a visit to a fictional place 194. Your first time away from home 195. Two different versions of the same event 196. A traffic accident 197. A day when everything went right (or wrong) 198. An experience that made you laugh until you cried 199. The day you decided to change your life 200. The experience of being lost 201. An unexpected encounter 202. Surviving a hurricane or a tornado (or other natural disaster) 203. An experience that taught you a lesson 204. An important discovery 205. An eyewitness account of an important event 206. An experience that helped you grow up 207. When I Got Lost 208. My Favorite Meal 209. If I Could Go Back in Time 210. I Saw the Weirdest Thing 211. An Epic Fail 212. An Animal I Would Be 213. Something I Wish I Had 214. If I Could Only See One Color 215. If I Could Change One Thing About Me 216. A Place I'd Like to Live 217. My Secret Place 218. Something Nobody Knows About Me 219. I'd Like to Invent This 220. If I Could Be Somebody Else for a Day 221. Most Interesting Animal Encounter 222. You Won't Believe I Saw This 223. My Hero 224. My Favorite Superpower 225. If I Were Invisible 226. If I Were President 227. If I Could Have Any Pet 228. If I Had a Million Dollars Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

9 229. A TV Show I Would Make Up 230. A Job I Hate to Do 231. The Most Beautiful Thing in the World 232. My Parents Were Right 233. My Favorite Toy Ever 234. A Hard Lesson Learned 235. If I Had My Own Planet 236. My Greatest Accomplishment 237. My Lucky Charm 238. If I Could Make School Rules 239. How Embarrassing! 240. My Favorite Gadget 241. My Earliest Memory 242. Under My Bed 243. The Hardest Thing I Ever Had to Do 244. If I Could Live in Another Century 245. This Made Me Laugh! 246. A Secret Place 247. If I Could Invent a Holiday 248. My Secret Talent 249. The Year 2050 250. The Greatest Invention 251. 5 Things I Can't Live Without 252. 5 Things I Would Give Up 253. When I Was a Little Kid 254. Something That Disappeared 255. The Best News I Ever Received 256. The Most Memorable Trip 257. The Best Drama I Ever Seen 258. The Best Comedy I Ever Seen 259. The Best Movie I Ever Seen 260. First Day at College 261. The Moment of Success 262. A Memorable Journey 263. The Biggest Misunderstanding 264. The Difficult Decision 265. An Extraordinary School Day 266. The Trip of Your Dreams Written by byebyelah from lsfroum


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267. The Day You Decided to Change Your Life 268. Yesterday I saw the performance of a drama titled My School. The drama is claimed to be reflecting the real side of school life in Hong Kong, but it is a total failure. Poems and Songs: 269. Share a song about family with your friend Betty, sign your name Chris. 270. Share a song about environment protecting with your friend Betty, sign your name Chris 271. Choose a theme song for the Fun Fair at your school 272. Choose a theme song for the fundraising for Sichuan after an earthquake Pop culture: 273. The best TV commercial 274. Does pop culture have a positive or negative effect on teens? 275. Does pop culture teach immoral values? 276. You joined a talent show last week. Write a letter to your friend, Sam, and tell her your experience. Sign your name Chris Wong.

Drama: 277. Suggesting a prototype for a musical 278. Some people argue that integrating drama into the English curriculum at school does not benefit students. Write a one-sided argumentative essay for your school newspaper, explaining why you agree or disagree to the idea of having an English drama curriculum at school. 279. You are Sam Lau. You have started writing a play about friendship. The two main characters of the play are very different people and do not know each other at the start of the play. However, you are planning to end the play with them becoming best friends. Write a letter to your friend, Lisa, telling her that you have started writing a play, stating what the play is about, describing the main characters and plot of the play, and asking her what she thinks about your ideas for the play. 280. You are Chris Wong. You didn’t like drama and think that it was out dated. However, after you watched a play, you changed your mind. Write a review about this drama to the school magazine. 281. A wonderful musical that makes you a perfect weekend. 282. You watched a comedy last weekend with your family. You enjoyed it so much. Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

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English Paper II Writing Topics for HKDSE Write a review to the school magazine about this comedy and explain to your schoolmates why they should watch it.

Sport Communication: 283. How technology is enhancing the sport's popularity and accessibility. 284. Write a review to a local sport magazine on a basketball competition. Give your review an attractive title. 285. Introduce a sport that is uncommon in Hong Kong to your friend Sam. Sign your name Chris Wong. 286. Your friend, Sam, does not like to do exercises. She gets sick easily and gets fatter since then. Write an advice letter to her to give suggestions on doing exercises. Sign your name Chris Wong. 287. Do you agree that the number of P.E. (Physical Education) lessons per week should be increased in primary school? 288. Should chemicals be banned from sport players? 289. Write an article to school magazine to promote sports awareness in and outside school. Workplace communication: 290. Write a letter to the editor on business ethics in China. 291. Your cousin, Sam, is currently unemployed. She is worried and not sure what job she should take. She is energetic and athletic. Write a letter of advice to her and give suggestions to her. 292. Your cousin, Sam, wants to be a stunt woman. Write a letter of advice to her explaining why stunt woman is not a good choice for her. 293. Your dream job 294. You are a manager in a boutique. You receive a complaint from your costumer, Mrs. Wong for the poor service and the bad quality of your products. She demands a full refund. Write a formal letter to reply this customer. Sign your name Chris Wong. 295. How can a company be environmentally responsible? 296. Should a business have a socially responsible hiring policy? 297. What is the duty of business in relation to charities/the local community? 298. Is it right for companies to make cold calls or send SMS to sell their products? 299. What should a company’s attitude towards corruption in places other than Hong Kong be? 300. What should be a company’s highest priority? 301. Is it a company’s duty to worry about the practices of its suppliers? Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

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302. Is it wrong to sell tobacco products? 303. Should a company treat its employees better than the law demands? 304. Should minimum wage be set? 305. Should a business make decisions based on concern for employees’ welfare or on profitability?

Written by byebyelah from lsfroum

English Paper II Writing Topics for HKDSE

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