1The Shape of the Paper
The English paper is built around one scenario with layered materials — memos, data tables, competing views. Understanding this shape helps you allocate attention before diving in.
Anatomy of the Case
- A fictional but realistic scenario modelled on a Hong Kong-like city frames the whole task.必考
- A pack of reference materials — background notes, figures, and differing viewpoints — supplies the evidence.定義
- You must analyse, weigh options and recommend, not merely summarise the materials.易錯
- The task rewards judgement under complexity, mirroring real administrative decision-making.
Orientation
Before reading in depth, skim the materials to map what each source is and how they relate. A quick mental index saves time later when you hunt for evidence.
2What It Actually Tests
Behind the volume of paper, the examiners look for the same core skills as the Chinese paper: can you understand, analyse, weigh and decide, then write it clearly.
The Skills Being Assessed
- Comprehension: accurately understanding the scenario and extracting the relevant facts.必考
- Analysis: identifying the real problem, the options and the stakeholders.必考
- Judgement: weighing trade-offs and committing to a defensible recommendation.比較
- Writing: presenting the reasoning in clear, structured, professional English.
Marking insight
Summarising the materials is not analysis. Markers reward what you do with the data — the problem you define, the options you weigh, the decision you defend.
3A Workflow for Three Hours
With both papers to complete, the English paper needs a disciplined workflow: read, plan, write, check. Trying to write while still reading usually ends in a disorganised answer.
Four Stages
- Read and digest the materials, noting key facts and viewpoints.必考
- Plan your structure — problem, options, recommendation — before writing.
- Write to the plan, keeping each section focused.
- Check for accuracy, clarity and completeness at the end.易錯
Time discipline
Fix a rough time budget for each stage before you start and watch the clock. The commonest failure is spending so long reading that the recommendation is rushed.
4Reading With Purpose
Do not read the materials like a novel. Read to answer specific questions: what is the problem, who are the players, what are the options, what does the data show.
An Active Reading Method
- Read with guiding questions in mind rather than passively absorbing every line.必考
- Annotate as you go — mark facts, figures and conflicting claims for quick retrieval.
- Distinguish hard facts from opinions and assumptions embedded in the sources.易錯
- Note the source and possible bias of each viewpoint — who says it and why.比較
Note-taking
A one-page scratch summary — problem, key facts, options, stakeholders — is worth the time. It becomes the backbone of your answer and stops you re-reading the pack.
5Handling Data and Contradiction
Materials often include tables and figures, and sources may disagree. Reading the numbers correctly and reconciling contradictions is where many candidates slip.
Reading Numbers and Conflicts
- Check what each figure actually measures — units, time frame, and what is excluded.必考
- Look for trends and comparisons, not just single values, to see the bigger picture.數字位
- When sources conflict, note it explicitly and consider which is more reliable or relevant.易錯
- Avoid over-reading the data — do not claim more than the figures support.
Critical reading
If two sources conflict, do not silently pick one. Acknowledging the conflict and explaining your choice shows the critical judgement markers reward.
6Turning Reading Into Structure
The goal of reading is not comprehension for its own sake but building the raw material for your analysis. Organise what you find so it maps onto your answer.
From Notes to Outline
- Group your notes under problem, options, and impacts so they feed the analysis directly.必考
- Identify the two or three decisive facts that will drive your recommendation.
- Discard irrelevant detail — not everything in the pack needs to appear in your answer.易錯
- Let the structure of your notes preview the structure of your essay.
Prioritising
Ask which facts, if removed, would change your recommendation. Those are the ones to foreground; the rest is background.
