A summer course in New Zealand included learning how the host family and others used English to communicate. This Physiotherapy major found the locals friendly and chatty. She read Harry Potter after watching the movie.

Taking part in English speech competitions made up for the lack of speaking opportunities in primary and secondary school for this Physiotherapy major. She has read popular fiction but is also studying the stories of the victims of war.

Staying with a host family in Liverpool for two weeks in Form 5 has had a long-term effect on this Engineering major. He remembers frequently looking up words in the dictionary on his first attempt to read The Hobbit.

Talking to people with special needs in English during community service made this Engineering major realise he was able to apply his language skills. Reading novels such as Harry Potter and The Ring after watching the movies helps him better understand the stories.

Joining the Big Mouth Corner at university provided a chance for this Investment Science major to speak English and meet foreign students. She finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie but prefers Chinese books which are less time-consuming.

An exchange in the UK provided plenty of opportunities to speak the language. Practising English with his father induced this Accounting and Finance major to pick up a particular accent. Though reading the translated version of the French book, La Chambre Claire, is a daunting task, he still values the process.

Coming from a CMI school, this Language major had done extra self-practice to prepare for the DSE. She realises learning back then was particularly productive. Her reading interest ranges from fantasy novels such as Howl’s Moving Castle to romance like One Day.

Attending an international camp aimed at improving the language was not useful for this Engineering major. He seldom reads English books.

A trip to Sydney was a good opportunity for this Psychology major to communicate in English. She had to read newspapers and short articles during secondary school for assignments.

Teaching English to children in Russia made this Marketing major more aware of the language and improved her spoken English. She read the Young Post, Tuesdays with Morrie, and Charlotte’s Web for assignments in school.

An internship in Poland provided this Logistics Engineering major with the opportunity to use English in her daily life and improve her fluency. She read novels by Milan Kundera and Franz Kafka.

A study tour to England trained this Accounting and Finance major to communicate with foreigners in the language. She read Animal Farm by George Orwell for her literature class.

Interviewing foreigners in Tsim Sha Tsui during a primary school excursion made this Science major think about the importance of English in communication. She likes reading books that have been made into movies such as The Fault in Our Stars.

English is used when this Product Engineering major works as a part-time retail sales associate. He appreciates the experience as it is the only place he can practise his spoken English since his primary and secondary school provided few opportunities to do so.

English was used by this Science major while leading a tour of Hong Kong for exchange students in a university buddy programme. She also enjoys literary classics by writers such as Jane Austen and George R. R. Martin. Her favourite book is Pride and Prejudice.

An English camp led by British students from Oxford and Cambridge inspired this Nursing major. She started tutorials for the first time in order to prepare for the DSE. She read with an exchange student in Form Four. Reading in English takes longer because she needs to check the vocabulary.

Chatting with the host family after a day at school complemented this Engineering major’s English learning during an exchange to Australia in Form Three. The Golden Compass was required reading but it was made easier by watching the movie.

Accepting feedback from others helped this Fashion & Textile graduate improve her English pronunciation. She prefers reading on the Internet. The Man in the Iron Mask is the only English novel she has read. She likes to listen to music and studies the lyrics and recommends others to do the same.

Thinking of the future, this Biology major’s father enrolled him in an English learning centre to ensure he could speak and communicate in the language when he ventures in the world. He mostly reads English course material.

This Biology major improved her spoken English through one-on-one tutorials. She started reading the English version of Harry Potter when she came to Hong Kong.

Attending an academic conference in South Africa gave this Radiography major an opportunity to use English. He has to read a lot of manuals for his field.

There are more English speakers on campus so this Engineering major can practise using the language. He reads about fishing in English and would need to know the terms if he were to travel overseas.

While working as an environmental protection intern in Australia, this Primary Education major used English to communicate with colleagues. She likes to read about spirituality.

Practising spoken English in a workshop organised by her secondary school required this Nursing student to use the language more than ever. She enjoys utopian and dystopian fiction such as The Maze Runner and The Hunger Games.

Watching English news, reading novels, and talking with native speakers was a good way for this Nursing major to prepare for the DSE. Education reform was part of their debate from time to time. He likes reading science fiction novels.

Social interaction with foreign students on the university campus is a great opportunity for this Nursing major to speak English as such chances were hard to come by during school years. He read Tuesdays with Morrie in English after finishing the Chinese version.

During the English Week at her secondary school, this Occupational Therapy major had to approach teachers and communicate in the language to get stickers. She read Roald Dahl at school and now likes Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey.

English Week in secondary school encouraged this Occupational Therapy major to develop the habit of speaking the language. He is a slow reader but sometimes picks up a newspaper.

Facing tough questions in a university interview made this Management major aware of the areas she needs to work on. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is about how we can make our own success.

To attract and retain people’s attention while speaking, this Mechanical Engineering major read speeches by Barack Obama and other well-known figures. He feels this is a skill needed to be successful.

English was used at an international camp for Girl Guides at the London Olympics in 2012. This Accountancy major watched a movie during the reading sessions in secondary school.

Being fluent in English and able to converse with foreigners is important to this Biotechnology major. She attended an expensive tutorial class to improve her pronunciation. She skimmed books in secondary school.

Meeting lots of people in Hong Kong and speaking to them in English improved this Engineering major’s language skills. He reads finance news on the BBC website. He reads a bible given to him by a church and started Les Miserable after watching the movie.

Drama and games with new friends in university exposed this student to new vocabulary and culture. A textbook provided insight into how different cultures eat. He finds it difficult to listen to native speakers.

Interviewing tourists boosted this student’s confidence to talk with others in English. He follows the Chinese subtitles while watching English movies. He reads posts in a technology forum on the Internet.

Studying phonics and taking part in English singing and speech competitions became a habit for this student who now likes western pop music. She uses social media to find interesting articles to read.

Socialising with overseas students at university has developed this Electronics major’s English speaking skills. He likes reading books about politics and keeps a record of new vocabulary. He read How China’s Leaders Think and Deception Point.

An internship in the United States raised this Business major’s confidence in speaking English. She reads TIME, Vogue and National Geographic but also browses websites for articles on human behaviour.

An IELTS study programme in the Netherlands helped this Computer Engineering major overcome her nervousness in speaking English. She read Brokeback Mountain as part of a general education course.

Chatting with native speakers enabled this student to improve his speaking skills. Grammar books were useful for getting good exam results. He read Reader’s Digest and used a Kindle. He enjoys watching the comedian Michael Mclntyre.