Paper 1a8 Negative and positive These descriptions of four young men contain positive, negative and neutral comments. Read the comments on Alan. Being quiet is neither good nor bad, and wearing dark clothes is just a matter of taste. Quite dull is a negative comment. We do not like to spend time with uninteresting people, but we do appreciate loyalty, a positive quality. A. Fill in the table blanks with positive and negative words and phrases. Alan: Alan is a quiet young man. You would not notice him on the bus in his dark suit going to work every day. Some people think he is a little dull, but he values his family, went through school and university without trouble and is loyal and trustworthy. His ambitions are to become a bank manager and to have a wife and two children. He wants to buy a flat in Taikoo Shing. His last holiday was a package tour to Shanghai where he did shopping and sightseeing and enjoyed the food. He can be rather humourless and does not really like movies, but he likes tennis. He has a cat and is very affectionate person. Barry: Barry has rather long hair and dresses in a smart casual way. He was a very successful student and is now teaching at university. He has a sharp mind and loves discussing controversial issues. He admits he is sometimes too aggressive when arguing and he is unkind to people whose knowledge is weak. Many of his students fear him. He reads a lot and knows Putonghua, Cantonese, English and French. He loves dogs and Japanese food. Colin: When you see Colin he will probably be rushing somewhere as he is rather unpunctual and disorganised and is usually behind schedule. Colin is a strict vegetarian, the sort who won't even eat eggs or dairy products. He loves all animals and is generous with his time and money to a number of charities. He takes an active interest in politics and thinks it is everyone's duty to be involved. He is a very moral person and will not gamble or drink, but he is also very tolerant and does not criticise those who do. He likes adventure holidays. Damian: Damian works in the Civil Service. He is a handsome man, but surprisingly he is not popular with his colleagues because they say he is too serious. He often looks on the black side. For example, he will not keep a pet because he fears it will die and make him feel sad. Damian has great patience. He enjoys hiking and spends a lot of time walking in the New Territories. He is also keen on water-sports. He does not spend much as he believes one should save for any future problems such as ill health. Alan: quite dull h____________ t______________ a______________ Barry: t______ a______________ u_________ s________ c_____________ s_________ s___________ s_________ m_________ Colin: u_________________ d__________________ g_______________ m__________ t___________________ Damian: h______________ (not a character quality) too s_______ has g_______ p__________ B. What sort of people are they? Match the four men with these types of people: a. conservative b. idealist c. intellectual d. optimist e. pessimist f. rebel g. romantic C. Recommendations A girl you know wants a boyfriend. She says she wants someone who cares about things like the environment, has principles and gets involved in good causes. She hopes he will also like exercise. Based on the above, which of the young men would you introduce her to, and why? Answers A. Alan: humourless, trustworthy, affectionate; Barry: too aggressive, unkind, smart casual, successful student, sharp mind; Colin: unpunctual, disorganised, generous, moral, tolerant; Damian: handsome, too serious, great patience B. Alan: a, Barry: c, Colin: b, Damian: e C. Sample: I would introduce her to Colin as he is a very moral person involved actively in charities and politics. As he likes adventure holidays he likes exercise.
