92 Part 2: Unit E Reviews
The Year of the Dragon!
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2E.1: The Year of the Dragon!
Name: __________________________ Class: ________ ( ) Read the review below and note answers to the following questions in the mind map (circle 1).
• What is being reviewed? What type of review is it?
• Map the main points (W5+H).
• Is it a positive, negative or neutral review?
4. ______
3. ______
2._______
1. ______
Popular Culture Reviews Review 1: The Year of the Dragon!
Your wait is almost over…the new, exciting installment of Dragons from the Dungeon is about to hit the Hong Kong gaming community. A sneak peek and an hour’s game time reveal that Dragons from the Dungeon: Darkness Destroyed has incredible fantasy role-playing action that allows gamers to employ new open-world and roam-around freedom. Gamers can use ultra-modern technology or more traditional swords and magic to defend against the deadly dungeon dragons. Darkness Destroyed is not only the best of the Dragons from the Dungeon series, but also the most exciting game in the current gaming market. It is captivating!
Worksheet 2E.1:
The Year of the Dragon!
A Toe Curler!
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2E.2: A Toe Curler!
Name: __________________________ Class: ________ ( ) Read the review below and note answers to the following questions in the mind map (circle 2).
• What is being reviewed? What type of review is it?
• Map the main points (W5+H).
• Is it a positive, negative or neutral review?
4. ______
3. ______
2._______
1. ______
Popular Culture Reviews Review 2: A Toe Curler!
Is it possible to have a Hong Kong film that does not involve martial arts, triads, or a sickly sweet romance? In a word, yes. Produced by local film company ICU, Trail Walker steers clear of kung fu, gangsters and romantic relationships. Instead, it follows the crazy determination of a young teen as he prepares for the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker. The film begins at the end as we watch Stephy Coolio cross the finish line on feet blistered, bleeding and lacking toe nails. The viewer is then propelled back in time to the tragic event that motivates the teenager to embark on a remarkable journey that is bigger and more challenging than the MacLehose Trail. Trail Walker is riveting. It is a cinematic journey not to be missed. Go see it!
Worksheet 2E.2:
A Toe Curler!
Introducing Reviews
In this section, students become aware of what a review is and what information a review contains. Students are asked to identify some general features of a popular culture review.
Worksheets 2E.1: The Year of the Dragon!, 2E.2: A Toe Curler!, 2E.3: Reality Television?, and 2E.4: Hawkers’ Delight! are designed to provide students with an opportunity to think about reviews, specifically the information they contain, their source and their purpose in popular culture.
The worksheets are short popular culture reviews of a video game, film, television show, film and music recording. The sources of those reviews may represent a variety of media such as newspapers, magazines and/or websites.
Reality Television?
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2E.3: Reality Television?
Name: __________________________ Class: ________ ( ) Read the review below and note answers to the following questions in the mind map (circle 3).
• What is being reviewed? What type of review is it?
• Map the main points (W5+H).
• Is it a positive, negative or neutral review?
4. ______
3. ______
2._______
1. ______
Popular Culture Reviews Review 3: Reality Television?
Some things in life are not worth waiting for. A case in point is the latest reality television show The King Family in Hong Kong. This is 25 minutes of your life that you will never get back if you sit down to watch. It is a waste of time. This latest version of so-called reality television follows the King family as they first arrive in Hong Kong after the mother, Mimi, has been hired by a large investment bank. The failing of the show lies with its obsessive focus on the father, Bo, who spends his unemployed days discovering the city and, more often than not, complaining about it. The worst part of the focus on the father is not necessarily his loutish behaviour, but the fact that we don’t really care…about anything this family does. Viewing is not recommended.
Worksheet 2E.3:
Reality Television?
Hawkers’ Delight!
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2E.4: Hawkers’ Delight!
Name: __________________________ Class: ________ ( ) Read the review below and note answers to the following questions in the mind map (circle 4).
• What is being reviewed? What type of review is it?
• Map the main points (W5+H).
• Is it a positive, negative or neutral review?
4. ______
3. ______
2._______
1. ______
Popular Culture Reviews Review 4: Hawkers’ Delight!
The reason the local band The Fishballs only has three albums is that they do not like to spend time in a studio recording their music. With Live in HK, recorded at Mongkok Stadium earlier this year, The Fishballs give fans a fourth album that is their most energetic CD to date. This energy seems to come from the freedom of not being confined to the studio. It is infectious. Guitars, drums and horns combine with lead singer Dan Tart’s swaggering vocals to produce a strong sound that celebrates live performance. From the opening song, ‘Bones in the Skin’, to the final, track ‘Bamboo Skewer’, The Fishballs’
daring new album will no doubt whet the appetite of hungry fans.
Worksheet 2E.4:
Hawkers’ Delight!
Suggested Procedures
1. Use a Reading Jigsaw model (see appendix) so that students collaborate to complete Worksheets 2E.1, 2E.2, 2E.3 and 2E.4.
2. Assumption: students are starting from a base group (4 students).
3. Group students in expert reading groups A, B, C and D.
94 Part 2: Unit E