6月30日接受了東方日報的訪問，內容於7月1日的報紙刊登。
其實報導內容大致與訪問相同，但有兩點我需要澄清：
普遍失明人都能夠非常自如地運用凸字，所以擁有「一手純屬凸字閱讀技巧」並非值得誇耀的事。況且閱讀或書寫凸字比我更快更準確的大有人在，我認為以「純屬」形容我這方面的能力，實在有欠合適。
「睇唔到唔係最大障礙，最緊要自己盡左力，瞧目標去就可以。」印象中，我從來沒有於被訪時說過這句話；過份樂觀地製造虛假的正能量，嘗試掩蓋為人難以接受的事實，一向絕非我的作風。
我明白傳媒希望以我的例子，表達逆境自強的訊息，但我不認為我面對的是「逆境」，我也不是一個「自強」的人，至少我認為不是。加上「逆境自強」就是絕對正確的態度嗎？難道所有逆境，只要自強就能解決？難道螳螂自強就能抵擋汽車？我認為面對逆境最重要並非自強，最重要的是認清事實，「知己知彼」方能「百戰不殆」。
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Friday, 6 March 2009
The Last Day
Friday. 6th March, 2009.
Today is the last day of Form Seven students in my school. My secondary school life is officially ended. The weather of these days is rainy and gloomy, creating a dismal circumstance. Does it mean something? I don't know.
I thought I would not care when I had to leave Wah Yan. Many people around me said that I am callous and cold-blooded, I think they are often right, but not for this time. I know that there is something I am going to miss. I cannot be so sure to say what it is - could be the schoolmates, the environment, the atmosphere, or simply the feeling of being a secondary student. But it is certain that I will miss something in this college.
In these five years in Wah Yan, there are two people who I must thank, one is a student and one is a teacher.
Thank you, Jonathan Ting!
I knew him when I was in Form 3, and we became friends in Form 4. I was very glad that I could find a person who had a mind similar to mine. He is my true (and very likely to be the only) friend in the school. He is generous and always ready to help. From leading me to lavatory to buying lunch for me, from helping me find a teacher to lending me his own tutorial notes, from accompanying me to go to school picnic to teaching me the way to Hong Kong Records, Ting has helped me a lot. As I can recall, he has never refused any of my requests. I must admit I might sometimes rely on him too much, but I must also express my thanks to him as a friend for me to rely on these years. He truly is the man for and with others.
Thank you, Mr Eric Yip!
He is the person who I must thank. Mr Yip taught me Chinese History in Form 4. He taught very well and I was eager to have Chinese History lessons. Sadly, the teacher was changed when I promoted to Form 5. Although Mr Yip only taught me for one year, I am sure that I have never met a teacher better than him in the past, and perhaps in the future as well. His teaching style is systematic, efficient and, in my opinion, effective. He 敬業樂業 (sorry to use Chinese, but it helps express the exact meaning). He was the only teacher in WYHK who really knew what a visually impaired student needed and did all the things promptly letting me be able to follow the teaching progress. His ways of seeing things are enlightening and wise. He has some famous words, examples are as following:
「我反對教育改革。」
「Rule #1:考試局永遠是對的。 Rule #2:如果你發現考試局出錯，請refer to Rule #1.」
「愛你的閱卷員。」
「不願一人沉淪，但願人人得救。」
「中史並非要死記硬背，我們要生記軟背。」
…………
「新牢騷集」 is his blog, and I strongly recommend you to visit it. It is really a pity that I may not be his student anymore. Hope that the school will finally treasure the teachers like him. I sincerely wish him and his family health and joy.
Before sitting in the exam centre like an arena with certain death, please allow me to end this post with the words which a gladiator would say to his Emperor before engaging in a deadly combat,
We, who are about to die, salute you!
Today is the last day of Form Seven students in my school. My secondary school life is officially ended. The weather of these days is rainy and gloomy, creating a dismal circumstance. Does it mean something? I don't know.
I thought I would not care when I had to leave Wah Yan. Many people around me said that I am callous and cold-blooded, I think they are often right, but not for this time. I know that there is something I am going to miss. I cannot be so sure to say what it is - could be the schoolmates, the environment, the atmosphere, or simply the feeling of being a secondary student. But it is certain that I will miss something in this college.
In these five years in Wah Yan, there are two people who I must thank, one is a student and one is a teacher.
Thank you, Jonathan Ting!
I knew him when I was in Form 3, and we became friends in Form 4. I was very glad that I could find a person who had a mind similar to mine. He is my true (and very likely to be the only) friend in the school. He is generous and always ready to help. From leading me to lavatory to buying lunch for me, from helping me find a teacher to lending me his own tutorial notes, from accompanying me to go to school picnic to teaching me the way to Hong Kong Records, Ting has helped me a lot. As I can recall, he has never refused any of my requests. I must admit I might sometimes rely on him too much, but I must also express my thanks to him as a friend for me to rely on these years. He truly is the man for and with others.
Thank you, Mr Eric Yip!
He is the person who I must thank. Mr Yip taught me Chinese History in Form 4. He taught very well and I was eager to have Chinese History lessons. Sadly, the teacher was changed when I promoted to Form 5. Although Mr Yip only taught me for one year, I am sure that I have never met a teacher better than him in the past, and perhaps in the future as well. His teaching style is systematic, efficient and, in my opinion, effective. He 敬業樂業 (sorry to use Chinese, but it helps express the exact meaning). He was the only teacher in WYHK who really knew what a visually impaired student needed and did all the things promptly letting me be able to follow the teaching progress. His ways of seeing things are enlightening and wise. He has some famous words, examples are as following:
「我反對教育改革。」
「Rule #1:考試局永遠是對的。 Rule #2:如果你發現考試局出錯，請refer to Rule #1.」
「愛你的閱卷員。」
「不願一人沉淪，但願人人得救。」
「中史並非要死記硬背，我們要生記軟背。」
…………
「新牢騷集」 is his blog, and I strongly recommend you to visit it. It is really a pity that I may not be his student anymore. Hope that the school will finally treasure the teachers like him. I sincerely wish him and his family health and joy.
Before sitting in the exam centre like an arena with certain death, please allow me to end this post with the words which a gladiator would say to his Emperor before engaging in a deadly combat,
We, who are about to die, salute you!
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
2003 Q.1
I have written an essay which I thought I've done pretty well, so would like to post here to share with you. It's the one of the questions of 2003 UE Section B writing paper.
Question: Is it ever right for a country to fight a war? Write an essay on this topic, Stating your opinion and supporting it with at least three reasons.
My answer is as below. Please kindly give me some advice after reading it. Many thanks.
※ ※ ※
Throughout ages, all over the world, men have never been tired of fighting each other. It is impossible for us to find out a period in the history where there was no bloodshed. Some even conclude that our history is formed by a countless number of wars, which may be for land, for power, for freedom or for glory. We often blame that wars take lives away, devastate properties and, most importantly, disrupt peace. Surprisingly, the truth is that war has benefited human society, and is not as evil as we think. The explanation of this will be gone through below.
The most apparent advantage of wars is speed up cultural exchange. If a country launches a conquest on another country, the soldiers of the invader will live at the enemy state for a certain time, bringing their own culture to the opponent and, meanwhile, learning the enemy's. For example, Alexander the Great got the culture from Egypt, Persia and some Asian nations to Greece, and brought his own culture to these countries. It was Genghiskhan who taught the Europeans the importance of logistics and supplies and the might of light cavalry in his conquest of the west. Muslims and crusaders had also mixed the eastern and the western cultures during the religious wars in the medieval age. Since fighting battles is a way to stimulate the exchange of cultures among countries, it is, to a certain extent, right for a country to fight a war.
Another benefit for a country to fight a war is that military campaigns could unite all people in the nation. Try to imagine that if a strong army is marching against us, which threatens the existence of our country, will we sit and do nothing, or join together to defend our home? As a matter of fact, in 480 BC, when Xerxes I and his massive Persian army marched towards the cities of Greece after the victory in Thermopylae, the Greeks united as a nation to protect themselves and successfully defeated the Persians at the Straits of Salamis. In addition, when Japan invaded China in 1937, the Chinese Nationalists and the Communists decided to cease their war against each other, and fought the Japanese back hand-in-hand. These examples showed that war may unite the people in a country and develop nationalism. Therefore, war may not be as bad as we think.
Last but not least, a country fighting a war can let people show their respectable conduct. In 480 BC, Xerxes I of Persia invaded Greece and led his army to Thermopylae, literally "the Hot Gates", near Sparta. In order to let the other cities of Greece have more time to prepare for war, Leonidas I, King of Sparta, and three hundred Spartan finest soldiers marched to encounter the Persian army. The Spartans were all slain, but they seized three days’ time for their countrymen to get ready to crash the Persians. Although Leonidas and his three hundred gave up their lives, they had shown their enormous valour, and their sacrifice has echoed across centuries. Furthermore, on 6th of May, 1527, Duke Charles III, Constable of France, led an army to sack Vatican, the Papal States. At that time, 189 Swiss Guards, who had sworn to protect the Pope, were on duty. 147 of them were massacred by the invaders, but ultimately ensured that the Pope escaped to safety. Obviously, the Swiss Guards had fulfilled their oath, never lost their fealty and integrity. In short, war may wake people's virtue which is deep in their heart.
In conclusion, war is not as evil as we usually think, but, by contrast, may bring us some positive effects, including stimulating cultural exchange, uniting people in the same country and rousing the virtue of human beings. For these reasons, it may be right for a country to fight a war. Starting from today, while mourning for the death and loss of battles, we may also try to look on the brighter side of a war.
Question: Is it ever right for a country to fight a war? Write an essay on this topic, Stating your opinion and supporting it with at least three reasons.
My answer is as below. Please kindly give me some advice after reading it. Many thanks.
※ ※ ※
Throughout ages, all over the world, men have never been tired of fighting each other. It is impossible for us to find out a period in the history where there was no bloodshed. Some even conclude that our history is formed by a countless number of wars, which may be for land, for power, for freedom or for glory. We often blame that wars take lives away, devastate properties and, most importantly, disrupt peace. Surprisingly, the truth is that war has benefited human society, and is not as evil as we think. The explanation of this will be gone through below.
The most apparent advantage of wars is speed up cultural exchange. If a country launches a conquest on another country, the soldiers of the invader will live at the enemy state for a certain time, bringing their own culture to the opponent and, meanwhile, learning the enemy's. For example, Alexander the Great got the culture from Egypt, Persia and some Asian nations to Greece, and brought his own culture to these countries. It was Genghiskhan who taught the Europeans the importance of logistics and supplies and the might of light cavalry in his conquest of the west. Muslims and crusaders had also mixed the eastern and the western cultures during the religious wars in the medieval age. Since fighting battles is a way to stimulate the exchange of cultures among countries, it is, to a certain extent, right for a country to fight a war.
Another benefit for a country to fight a war is that military campaigns could unite all people in the nation. Try to imagine that if a strong army is marching against us, which threatens the existence of our country, will we sit and do nothing, or join together to defend our home? As a matter of fact, in 480 BC, when Xerxes I and his massive Persian army marched towards the cities of Greece after the victory in Thermopylae, the Greeks united as a nation to protect themselves and successfully defeated the Persians at the Straits of Salamis. In addition, when Japan invaded China in 1937, the Chinese Nationalists and the Communists decided to cease their war against each other, and fought the Japanese back hand-in-hand. These examples showed that war may unite the people in a country and develop nationalism. Therefore, war may not be as bad as we think.
Last but not least, a country fighting a war can let people show their respectable conduct. In 480 BC, Xerxes I of Persia invaded Greece and led his army to Thermopylae, literally "the Hot Gates", near Sparta. In order to let the other cities of Greece have more time to prepare for war, Leonidas I, King of Sparta, and three hundred Spartan finest soldiers marched to encounter the Persian army. The Spartans were all slain, but they seized three days’ time for their countrymen to get ready to crash the Persians. Although Leonidas and his three hundred gave up their lives, they had shown their enormous valour, and their sacrifice has echoed across centuries. Furthermore, on 6th of May, 1527, Duke Charles III, Constable of France, led an army to sack Vatican, the Papal States. At that time, 189 Swiss Guards, who had sworn to protect the Pope, were on duty. 147 of them were massacred by the invaders, but ultimately ensured that the Pope escaped to safety. Obviously, the Swiss Guards had fulfilled their oath, never lost their fealty and integrity. In short, war may wake people's virtue which is deep in their heart.
In conclusion, war is not as evil as we usually think, but, by contrast, may bring us some positive effects, including stimulating cultural exchange, uniting people in the same country and rousing the virtue of human beings. For these reasons, it may be right for a country to fight a war. Starting from today, while mourning for the death and loss of battles, we may also try to look on the brighter side of a war.
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