Name: _________________ Class: 6__

Preparing for my secondary school interview & reflecting on my progress and

achievements at my primary school.

Your Portfolio

This year is a happy time to look forward to a new school, new

teachers and new friends. It is also a sad time for P6 as we look

back on the many years of fun and achievements over the years at

primary school. You can use this portfolio to help you remember all

of your successes and accomplishments in class from P1 to today.

This will give you some confidence, perspective and will help

prepare you for your secondary school interview.

5 words to describe me: 1)_________________ 2)_________________ 3)_________________ 4)_________________ 5)_________________

When I’m older, I’d like to be ________________________because___________________________________________________________________________________________

My favourite lesson is ______________ because _________ _________________________________________________________________

The lesson in which I get the best grades is __________.

Ask your friends and share

what you have written!

2

A

active = always doing something: "She's an active person and

never wants to stay in." ✓

aggressive = being angry or threatening: "He's aggressive and starts arguments." X

ambitious = wanting to succeed: "He's ambitious and wants to

lead the company."

argumentative = always arguing with people: "He won't

accept what you say – he's argumentative and loves to disagree!"

arrogant = thinking you are better than anyone else: "He

always behaves as if nobody else's opinion is important – "I find him very arrogant."

assertive = being confident, so people can't force you to do

things you don't want to do: "It's important to be assertive at work."

B

bad-tempered = in a bad mood: "What's got into him lately?

He's so bad-tempered."

big-headed = thinking you're very important or clever: "I've

never met anyone so big-headed!"

bossy = telling people what to do all the time: "He's so bossy - he never lets me do things the way I want to do them."

C

careless = not taking care: "He's a careless driver – "I'm sure

he'll have an accident."

caring = wanting to help people: "My boss is caring and often

asks me how things are going."

catty = saying nasty or spiteful things about other people: "I

know you don't like her, but calling her names is a bit catty."

cautious = being careful, so that you avoid mistakes: "He's

cautious about investing money in the stock market."

charming = pleasant and likeable: "What a charming man!"

cheeky = being rude or disrespectful: "It was a bit cheeky of

him to ask for more money."

clever = intelligent: "She's a clever student and picks things up

quickly."

conceited = thinking you're very clever, or better than others:

"He's so conceited – he thinks everyone should admire him."

conscientious = doing something carefully, because you want

to do it well: "She's a conscientious student and always does her homework."

considerate = thinking and caring about others: "My

neighbour brought me flowers when I was in hospital – he's very considerate." ("That was considerate of him.")

coy = pretending to be shy so that you don't have to give

information: "He's very coy about his qualifications – maybe he doesn't have any."

creative = someone who can make or design things, or can

think of solutions to a problem: "She's creative and artistic."

curious = wanting to know things: "I'm curious to find out what

you think of the situation."

D

deceitful = trying to make people think something, so that you

get what you want: "He lied to get this job – he's so deceitful."

docile = quiet and submissive: "She's a docile child and

always does what she's told."

dogmatic = wanting others to accept your ideas without

discussion: "He's a dogmatic politician and always thinks he's right."

domineering = trying to control other people: "He's loud and

domineering in the office – it's difficult to get him to listen to us."

E

enthusiastic = having a lot of interest in something: "He's an

enthusiastic supporter of equal rights."

excitable = someone who easily gets excited: "He gets very

excitable about politics – it's one of his passions in life."

extroverted = outgoing and lively: "She's extroverted and loves going out with people."

F

faithful = being loyal to someone or something: "She's a

faithful friend."

fickle = changing your mind and being unpredictable:

"Politicians can be fickle when it suits them!"

flaky = slightly unstable and unreliable: "She's a little flaky at

times, but otherwise she's a good worker."

full of himself = acting proud of yourself: "He was full of

himself after he got the promotion – it got annoying after a while."

funny = making other people laugh: "He can be extremely

funny when he's in the mood."

fussy = only liking certain things: "She's fussy about what she

wears."

G

good-natured = kind and thoughtful: "She's good-natured and

always tries to help."

grumpy = someone who tends to be in a bad mood: "He's always grumpy in the morning and never says 'hello'."

H

happy-go-lucky = not worrying about what might happen in

the future: "He's a bit happy-go-lucky and doesn't think about the future."

I

impulsive = doing things without thinking first: "If he sees

something he likes, he just buys it – he can be so impulsive at times!"

A-Z of Describing People

TASK: Put a tick (✓) or a cross (X) next to each description to show whether you

think each one is a good/positive characteristic or a bad/negative characteristic.

3

inconsiderate = not considering other people or their feelings:

"It was a little inconsiderate of him not to give you a get-well card."

introverted = opposite of extroverted: "He was introverted as

a teenager, but became more confident as he got older."

inventive = able to think up new ideas: "As head of Marketing,

he can often think of inventive ways to keep his customers happy."

irritating = annoying others: "He can be very irritating to work with."

J

jokey = making jokes: "You're in a jokey mood today, but

we've got work to do!"

jolly = happy and cheerful: "It was the weekend and everyone was in a jolly mood."

K

kind = thoughtful and caring: "My neighbour is kind – she looked after my cat when I was on holiday."

L

loud-mouthed = someone who talks a lot and often says

offensive things: "Don't worry about what he said – he's loud-mouthed at times."

loyal = someone who is faithful and stands by you: "His

colleagues were loyal to him when he was having problems with his boss."

M

manic = behaving in a slightly crazy way: "We're a bit manic at

the moment – we're rushing to finish the work before our deadline."

manipulative = trying to get people to do what you want, by

influencing or deceiving them: "She's very manipulative when she wants something."

moody = having unpredictable moods: "Some people think he's moody – you never know if he's happy or grumpy."

N

nervous = uncomfortable with a situation: "I'm always nervous

before an exam."

O

old-fashioned = behaving or thinking in a way that isn't

modern: "He's a bit old-fashioned and thinks women shouldn't work."

opinionated = having strong opinions: "He's opinionated and dogmatic – the last person you want to negotiate with."

P

passive = not assertive – doing what other

people want you to do without arguing: "He's passive at work, but domineering at home."

perfectionist = someone who wants

perfection: "Her boss is a perfectionist – no spelling mistakes are allowed."

persuasive = being able to persuade

people to do things or to accept your ideas: "He's a persuasive talker."

picky = only liking certain things or people: "She's picky about

her friends."

playful = someone who likes to play and have fun: "You're in a

playful mood today!"

pleasant = nice and polite: "The bank manager was pleasant

to me today."

polite = showing good manners: "She's polite and never

forgets to say 'please' or 'thank you'."

pragmatic = being practical and aware of your limitations: "She's pragmatic at work and only does what she can."

Q

quick-tempered = getting angry quickly: "He was quick-tempered when he was young, but he's more relaxed now."

R

reserved = keeping your ideas and thoughts to yourself: "He's

reserved, but polite."

rude = impolite: "He's very rude and never says 'please' or 'thank you'."

S

scatter-brained / scatty = someone who often forgets things:

"Don't you remember where you put your wallet? You're so scatter-brained!"

serious = not light-hearted: "He's a serious student and

always does his homework."

shy = quiet, because you are not very confident: "He's so shy

and hates saying anything to people he doesn't know."

sincere = saying what you believe (opposite of insincere):

"He's sincere in his beliefs."

slapdash = doing your work quickly and carelessly: "He's got a

very slapdash attitude – I doubt he'll ever become a lawyer."

slimy = trying to get what you want by being over-friendly:

"That man is so slimy – he makes me feel sick!"

sly = doing things in a secretive way: "You never know what

he's up to – he's sly and manipulative."

spiteful = trying to hurt other people because you didn't get

what you wanted: "If she doesn't get what she wants, she can be quite spiteful."

T

thoughtful = someone who thinks a lot: "He's a thoughtful

person and won't do anything unless he has considered the consequences."

thoughtless = not thinking about people or the consequences

of your actions: "I'm sure he didn't mean to be rude – he can be thoughtless at times."

trustworthy = someone you can trust: "My accountant is really trustworthy."

V

volatile quickly changing moods: "He's easily excitable and pretty volatile."

W

witty = being able to make other people

laugh by what you say: "He's witty and charming – the perfect person to invite to a party."

4

TASK: Choose 3 positive describing words

which you think describe you, and explain why.

I am _________________ because

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

I am _________________ because

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

I am _________________ because

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

Describing People TASK: Choose 3 positive describing words

which you think describe one of your friends, and

explain why.

S/He is _______________ because

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

S/He is _______________ because

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

S/He is _______________ because

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

Why would your secondary school want you? Think about why you’re a wonderful student!

What are my achievements?

What are my hobbies and interests?

Have I taken part in any contests or

competitions (Speech Festival, Sports day etc…)

Have I won any contests or competitions?

Do I have good attendance and punctuality?

What is my strongest subject?

How do I practice English?

What do I do at weekends and in my spare time?

Other words which describe me…

Friend’s name: __________________

5

My Achievements TASK: Split into teams of 4. Ask your

friends to help you complete the mind map.

What are your strengths? You may write in

Chinese and English.

6

TOP 6 subjects: 1. Yourself. 2. Why you want to go to

this secondary school. 3. Interests and hobbies 4. School and studies. 5. Family and friends. 6. The future.

Write down some ideas for these subjects. Make sure you have a lot of things to talk about!

Give full and complete answers – try to give at least 2-3 sentences for each answer

About Yourself: - Introduce yourself ­ What is your name? ­ Which school do you come from? ­ Where is it? ­ Where do you live? ­ What hobbies do you have? - Describe some of your likes and dislikes. ­ What does your father / mother / brother do? ­ Do you do any housework at home? ­ Do you have any siblings / brothers or sisters? ­ What do you like to eat? ­ When is your birthday? - When do you get up / go to bed? - Would you be scared if you had to perform on the stage? - What do you want to be in the future? - Have your read Pride and Prejudice / Harry Potter? What is the book about? What is the most impressive part in the book? - What sports do you like to play? - What other countries have you visited? - Which parks have you been to? What did you do there? About School and Study: - What is your favourite subject / Which subject do you like best? Why? (e.g. Music) ­ Do you know how to play the piano? ­ What kind of music do you like? ­ Why do you like music? ­ Which song do you like best? - Who is your favourite teacher in school? / Tell me something about your teacher. - How do you get to school? - Have you taken part in any competitions / English activities? Have you got any prizes in the competition? (e.g. Speech Festival / Penmanship Competition / Writing Competition / Basketball / Football Match…) - What do you do in your English / P.E. / music… lesson? - Which subject are you good at? - What kind of extra-curricular activities do you participate in / take part in? About Spare Time Activities: - What do you like to do in summer? - Do you play any musical instruments? - Tell me about your favourite activity. - Do you play computer games? MSN? How often do you play computer games? - Have you been to Ocean Park / Disneyland?

- Do you have a computer at home? How often do you use it? What do you use it for? - Which books do you like to read? About Family: - Talk about your family. - What does your father / mother look like? - What is your father / mother good at? - Do your parents help you with your homework? - What do you think about your father / mother? About Friends: - Tell me about your friends. - Who is your best friend? About the Secondary School: - Why do you want to study in our school? - How did you get here today? - Who came here with you today? - Why did you choose an English speaking (EMI) school? - Is this your parents’ decision or yours? What do you know about our school? Others: - When did you last go abroad / travelling? Were there any scenic spots? Which country do you like? - Why is it important to be polite? - What would you do if you saw a little girl crying in the street / someone shoplifting in a supermarket? - Please read this. (Then ask questions about the passage / Student chooses one topic from the passage to develop) - Picture description. (e.g. What day is it today? What is the weather like today? / Students are shown pictures of different places and are asked questions about the places.) - Do you have any pets? Why do you keep a pet? Tell me about your pet. - What else do you want to tell me? - Do you want to ask me any questions?

Common interview questions

7

Listen carefully and always speak English. You can say: o ‘I do not understand’ o ‘I don’t know’ o ‘Please can you repeat the question’

Use eye contact.

Try to answer in 2-3 full, complete sentences.

Sit up properly.

Don’t be shy. Be confident!

Speak slowly and clearly. Relax, don’t panic.

Remember the ‘question words’ – (Where? Why? How? When? How many? Who?) And listen to what tense you should be answering in (past, present or future?)

Research your secondary school on the internet. What extra-curricular activities are available? Who is the principal?

Make sure you know what has been happening in the news during the week before your interview. What is your opinion?

Practise ‘mock’ interviews with your friends/family.

Introduce yourself… You will be asked some basic questions about yourself and your life and school and home. Examples: • Your name • Age • Where you live • Family members • Hobbies • Sports • Likes and dislikes • Your personality

Think about your… • Voice • Tone • Intonation • Manners • Body language • Giving a full and complete answer – it is better

to say too much than not enough!

Do you have any questions? Show that you are interested in the school by thinking about some things you would like to know. For example, ‘What extra-curricular activities are there?’. Be sure to visit the website of the school or go to an Open Day. Describing a person… • Who are they? Where are they from? • What do they do? How? Why? • How old are they? Why are they famous? • What do they look like? • Do you like them? How to improve your English every day…

Watch English TV (ATV World, TVB Pearl) and listen to English radio (RTHK Radio 3).

Read English books, magazines, websites and newspapers.

Practice your English with your family and friends – aim for one hour per day.

Practice talking about yourself and your interests.

Learn some good adjectives and revise your vocabulary by looking back at your work and

textbooks.

Talk to your English teachers.

Don’t panic or worry, if you are confident and think you will do well, you will do well!

Describing a picture…

Revise prepositions of place. • What do you see? What is happening? Why is it happening? • Have you been to this place? • Where was the picture taken? • What will happen next? Describe the picture – who/what/where/how/why?

““IItt iiss bbeetttteerr ttoo ggiivvee ffoouurr

sseenntteenncceess wwiitthh aa ffeeww

mmiissttaakkeess tthhaann oonnee sseenntteennccee

wwiitthh ppeerrffeecctt ggrraammmmaarr””

Interview tips & advice

Most importantly… Relax, don’t worry and be positive!

Picture

description 8

Picture description examples In four groups, discuss and describe a selected picture.

Do you

agree/disagree?

What do

you think?

I agree/

disagree

.

I agree

somewhat but… For example /

For instance…

Firstly, secondly, finally

The first point is

Lastly

The following

In short

In brief

In summary

To summarise

In conclusion

But

However

Although /

even though

Despite /

despite the

fact that

In spite of / in

spite of the

fact that

Nevertheless

Nonetheless

While

Whereas

Unlike

Group discussion

Therefore

So

Consequently

This means that

As a result

9

Critical thinking example questions

Andy Lau will visit your school. What will you ask him? What would you like to show him? And

what souvenir would you like to give to him?

Brainstorm the following questions and present to the class. Make notes as other groups are presenting.

The government will give every Hong Konger $6000. What would you do with this money?

Do you think it is a good/bad idea?

If you had a special ability, what would it be? How would you use it?

If you were the leader of Hong Kong, what would you do? What would you change?

10

Critical thinking example questions

If you had $500,000, how would you redesign your classroom?

Brainstorm the following questions and present to the class. Make notes as other groups are presenting.

What things do you think best represent Hong Kong?

Should teacher reward children with money? Why/why not?

Many children are applying to come to our school. Why should we choose you?

11

12

Difficult questions for discussion… You can be a superhero for 1 week. What super powers would you choose and why?

What things do you think best represent Hong Kong?

School finishes at noon and you have 6 hours free. How will you spend this time?

What do you think makes a good teacher?

What would you do if you had $1million?

Tell me, in one minute, how do you use computers?

How do we solve the issue of air pollution?

How do you feel about the rich/poor gap?

How do you arrange your time when studying?

How would you survive in the jungle?

What do you think this idiom means? e.g. ‘The early bird catches the worm’.

What would your ideal school uniform look like?

If you were a pilot, where would you go?

Tell me a story.

How do you feel about light pollution?

How do you care for your teeth/self?

Many HK people feel they are under a lot of pressure. Do you agree?

Describe some special Hong Kong foods.

How do you feel about your parents?

Who do you admire?

What are your weaknesses?

Can you think of an interview question to ask your friends?

Describe the relationship between your primary school/classmates and you.

Talk for a minute.

How would you become a good teacher? Is it an easy job?

Do you believe the boys are weaker than the girls at school?

Do you pressure your parents? Are they proud of you?

Tell me a school rule you disagree with. Why?

How would you teach your friend to draw a fish over the telephone?

Can you use English to describe/introduce a product to your friend? (e.g. a hairdryer)

Should parents fulfil all their children’s wishes?

Are you proud of being Chinese?

If you lived in the wild, what would the advantages be?

If Santa is real, what would you want to get from him?

If you had a lot of money, how would you improve your school?

How would you find out the difference between water with sugar and water with salt? (Without tasting it)

If your school teacher/principal asked you to hold a charity activity, what would you do?

Should the school pay students for good performance?

If tomorrow was the end of the world and it was your last day on Earth, what would you do?

How can we help students to read more books?

If you can only have 1 electrical appliance, which would you choose?

Why should our school choose you over other students?

Which is more important? Science or language?

Which country do you like best? What do you think about the citizens in that country? Why?

What can we do to show our respect to teachers?

Should S1 students be allowed to go out of school for lunch? Or stay in school?

How do you use the internet for study?

[Current events questions]

[Group debates]

All of these questions

have been asked in

previous P6 interviews.