Better presentation and more convincing arguments helped YWCA Hioe Tjo Yoeng College edge out Christian Alliance Cheng Wing Gee College in the third round of the 12th Nesta-SCMP Debating Competition.
The schools debated the motion: 'public, performing animal shows are beneficial.' Cheng Wing Gee took the affirmative side and Hioe Tjo Yoeng the negative.
The debate took place last Tuesday at Cheng Wing Gee. Nalini Fernandes and Petunia Kinsley, English teachers from HKMA David Li Kwok Po College, adjudicated.
They gave the edge to Hioe Tjo Yoeng's debaters because their delivery was better and they were more convincing.
Fernandes said: 'Speakers from the negative side spoke with force. They sounded like animal activists, providing evidence and getting the message across that animal shows are not beneficial.'
Form Four student Gloria Chang Wing-yan, the third speaker from the negative side, was named best speaker. Kinsley said: 'Gloria has lots of firepower. She rebutted arguments from the affirmative side clearly, point by point. As the last speaker, she also reinforced the points stated by the first two speakers. Great teamwork.'