A very personal type of writing is when you write about yourself and your life. This is called an autobiography. Often this type of writing is associated with older people who may have more to write about. But this should not be the case. When young people write autobiographies, they can inspire people of all ages. Even if you feel your life has not been very exciting, it does not matter. Everyone is different and has a story to tell. A lot of great authors say that the best writing comes from personal experience. You will be surprised how much people will be interested in reading about your life. Don't be shy, give it a try. My Life in Hong Kong My name is Simon Lam Koon. I was born only 16 years ago in a Hong Kong public hospital, but my life certainly has not been a boring one! Until I was nine years old I lived with my parents and five older brothers in Sheung Shui. The flat was so small we could not eat our meals together at the same time. I went to a small village school. There was only one teacher. He taught us everything. After school my youngest brother took care of me. At about six o'clock, my mother would come home. She worked in a factory that made cardboard boxes. We moved to Shamshuipo. My brothers would tell me about all the exciting things they did in Hong Kong. I longed to join them. But I was not allowed. 'You are too young and immature,' my father would say. But when I got to secondary school, my brothers helped me. They took me to visit their friends who were scoundrels and lived all over Hong Kong. One day, we had an exciting, yet scary time. 'Come on, let's play over there,' my eldest brother shouted. There was a small hut in the middle of an empty building site. I felt strange as we walked towards the hut. We looked through the window. Inside a man was sitting very still in a chair. We watched him for many minutes. My brother decided to try and wake him up. He threw stones at the window. The man never moved. We became very worried. My brother called the police on his mobile phone. We all ran away. After a short while the police arrived. They broke down the door. Several minutes later an ambulance came. The man was carried out and his face was covered. I approached a policeman and asked what had happened. 'The man is dead,' he said. 'He had a heart attack.' We ran away. My life has been short yet full of action. Glossary Immature (adj) - young, undeveloped To longed (v) - to want (something) very much Scoundrel (n) - rascal To approach (v) - to move towards somebody/something Hut (n) - cabin, shelter Questions 1. How old is Simon? 2. Where did Simon live until he was nine years old? 3. Was Simon's first school large? 4. How did the boys try and wake the man in the hut? 5. How did the man die? Writing style Autobiographies often contain short pieces of conversation. The writer can remember the words that people have said to them. This is a good device for you to use. Read the list below and insert the correct speech from the list. 'Would you like a bite of my apple?' 'Brush your teeth before you go to bed.' 'Look at me when I teach you!' 6. At my old school my teachers used to say: 7. My friend turned to me and asked: 8. When I was little, my mum always told me: Crossword Simon's mother worked in a factory that made cardboard boxes. There are many different factories that produce lots of different things. Read the clues below and fill the boxes in the crossword. 1. These are things you wear to cover your body 2. You can drive around in these 3. Use these to send e-mails or do your homework 4. These things show you what time it is 5. Chairs, desks, and tables for example 6. You play with these Answers 1. 16; 2. Sheung Shui; 3. No, it only had one teacher; 4. They threw stones at the window; 5. he had a heart attack; 6. 'Look at me when I teach you!'; 7. 'Would you like a bite of my apple?'; 8. 'Brush your teeth before you go to bed.'; Crossword: 1. clothes; 2. cars; 3. computers; 4. watches; 5. furniture; 6. toys.
