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Cheats have no place in society

Some HKCEE candidates allegedly cheated during the English Language (Syllabus B) exam last month.

According to reports, they accessed websites printed on the question paper by using mobile phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs) during toilet breaks.

An investigation revealed that one person had visited a website twice - for 14 minutes and three-and-a-half minutes.

To prevent such incidents from happening again, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) should not allow candidates to bring mobile phones or PDAs to examination halls. A supervisor should accompany a student to the washroom and, if possible, write down the time he or she spent there.

The HKEAA is responsible for maintaining fairness at public exams.

In future, they should not print websites on question papers because it tempts candidates to cheat.

Cheating should not be tolerated in a civilised society. An exam is only an assessment. If we work hard, we will get good results.

We all want a bright future and a happy life.

We should not be dishonest as we strive to achieve our goals. If you cheat, you may have to pay a big price. So please be honest!

Jackson Ng Kit-shing

SKH Lam Kau Mow Secondary School

A taste of life at US universities

My classmates and I recently got first-hand experience of life at two well-known universities in the United States.

We first went to Andrews University in Michigan, where we took several lessons, including nursing and speech therapy.

Our teacher showed us a video about a nurse's duties, especially taking care of babies.

The lessons also made us realise that speech therapy can help disabled people lead fulfilling lives.

The professors gave us their views on different subjects.

There was also a communication lesson between the students and teachers.

The students at Andrews University were well-behaved.

They were very nice and always willing to help.

Then we visited La Sierra University in Los Angeles. We had chemistry, physics, business and computer lessons during the 10-day visit.

The US trip gave me a better idea about the career I want to pursue.

Besides the lessons, I was able to experience campus life by staying in a dormitory with American students.

We had to share the bathroom, kitchen and telephone. This was something new for us. In the process, we learned to co-operate and communicate more with our roommates.

Wong Wing-yan

Tai Po Sam Yuk Secondary School

Smoking dilemma

I am writing in response to the letter 'Smokers are killers' (Young Post, June 5).

I don't think that smokers are killing people. If this is so, they should be in prison.

I am not a smoker and I admit that smoking is harmful. Even second-hand smoke can cause diseases such as lung cancer.

But there are many public areas in Hong Kong where smoking is not allowed.

It's not difficult to avoid smokers.

People should have the right to light up, although it is an unhealthy habit.

We should not isolate smokers; we should show our concern for them.

C. H. Sao

Immaculate Heart of Mary College

Need to protect tuna

I'm writing in response to the letter 'Tuna dilemma' (Young Post, June 12). A lof of people in Hong Kong eat tuna.

I think people need to have a clear understanding of why the consumption of the fish should be banned.

Firstly, many tuna species are endangered. Yet 3.3 billion cans of tuna are sold worldwide each year. Environmentalists have warned that tuna stocks are running dangerously low in the world's oceans and the species could be on the verge of extinction.

Unless immediate action is taken, they have warned that bluefin tuna will be the first species to become extinct.

Other endangered species include albacore, yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack.

Marine scientists are calling for commercial fishing limits to protect western Atlantic bluefin tuna, whose numbers have fallen 80 per cent since the 1970s.

Secondly, overfishing is a serious problem. The number of tuna caught in the South Pacific has increased seven-fold since 1972.

Thirdly, Japan is using experimental fishing as an excuse to continue killing tuna and other fish species.

Japan recently announced that it would take an extra 2,000 tonnes for its experimental programme.

It's important that people pay more attention to the plight of endangered species, such as tuna.

Although many countries want to protect tuna, more needs to be done to prevent its extinction.

Alice Fong Man-ting

Yan Oi Tong Tin Ka Ping Secondary School

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