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SCMP Reporter

Separate art from indecency

I am writing about the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority's (Tela) handling of a book bearing a picture of a famous painting of Cupid.

It was on display at a book fair organised by the Trade Development Council.

Cupid, a well-known character in Roman mythology, is a symbol of  love.

The book cover carried an image of a painting by French artist, Francois Gerard.  He  was simply admiring the  human body, rather than thinking about pornography,  when he created his painting.

There are many famous artworks which portray nudity. Are they all indecent?

Of course not.

Tela made a mistake by advising the publisher that the book should not be sold to the public, although it was cleared the next day.

Steps should be taken to ensure that such mistakes don't happen again.

For example, Tela staff should strengthen their basic arts knowledge. Proper instructions should also be given to frontline staff who implement the rules.

This will help them  distinguish art from indecent material.

Eric Wong Siu-fung

Yan Oi Tong Tin Ka Ping  Secondary School

Summer is not all play and no work

The summer holiday is a time for students to relax and enjoy the good things in life.

But youngsters should not waste their time.

They can draw up a schedule to ensure they have a meaningful holiday.

This is the time for students to focus on their future and take part in various extra-curricular activities.

It is important that they set aside enough time for their summer homework.

Form Five and Form Seven students should prepare for the HKCEE and A-Levels, respectively.

Reading books at a public library is also an acceptable way to spend your leisure time. This can help enhance your language skills and broaden your horizons.

In addition, the teenagers can learn  useful skills. For example, they can attend piano or computer classes to keep them mentally alert, while basketball lessons can help improve their physique.

The students have another interesting option - they can join voluntary work and help the needy.

Such activities can help the youngsters boost their confidence and communication skills. The participants can also make more friends and enhance their social skills.

Remember: summer holidays are not all play and no work. You should strike the right balance in your life.

I wish you a wonderful, meaningful summer holiday.

Tiffany Ye

Leung Shek Chee College

Enjoy what you have

I don't think today's youngsters have a harder time than their counterparts in the past.

I agree that teenagers nowadays have to face a lot of competition  and work under tremendous pressure. But it does not mean that previous generations had more fun.

In the good old days, there were no computer games, mobile phones or other fancy gadgets. Some households did not even have a TV.

Besides, studying was a luxury for many young people at the time.

While we are enjoying our school life, they had to work in factories to support their families.

Today's teenagers  should not complain about what they don't have. They should cherish what their parents have given them.

Liu Tin-yan

Po Leung Kuk Lee  Shing Pik College

Good friends can keep you healthy

We meet different kinds of people every day.  They have their own habits, feelings and lifestyles.

We can still be friends with them.

We should respect their privacy and give them some space to do their own thing.

This can help strengthen a relationship and show that we care about others' feelings.

Giving personal space does not mean that we don't share secrets with our friends.

It also doesn't mean that we mustn't talk about our problems with them.

If we keep things bottled up, we are not being a good friend. Our friends can listen to our problems and help us to solve them.

This way, we will have less pressure in our lives.

Remember that true friends are close to your heart. If you maintain a good relationship with your friends, you will be a healthy person.

Lee Chun-yat

POCA Wong Siu Ching  Secondary School

Limited success

Some students cheat in order to pass exams.

Students whose sole aim is to earn money are likely to be more concerned about their grades.

This is not what education is about. Most world-famous scholars were inspired to study what interested them.

Studying simply for the sake of getting high marks is guaranteed to limit educational achievement.

Ryen Ma Kwun-yim

TWGHs Lui Yun Choy  Memorial College

2 systems, one aim

There are a lot more co-educational schools than single-sex institutions in Hong Kong.

Students in co-ed schools can learn to co-operate with members of the opposite sex.

But some boys and girls have love affairs and that could affect their academic performance.

There is no such problem in single-sex schools.

On the other hand, those students may develop romantic relationships outside school.

Both types of schools have their advantages and disadvantages.

So I don't see why single-sex schools should become co-ed.

Providing a good education is the most important thing.

Leung Siu-wun

Yan Oi Tong Tin Ka Ping  Secondary School

Appearances can be deceiving

Many people say that first impressions are really important and this will influence others' views about you.

There is no doubt that people like to interact with those who are well-groomed.

But different people have a different personality.  Some may want to be well-dressed because it can help enhance their self-esteem.

Others may dress casually because they are more comfortable in those clothes and aren't trying to impress anyone.

In my opinion, you cannot gauge a person by their appearance.

You have to spend time with them to really judge their character.

Then you will be able to discover their strengths and weaknesses and act accordingly.

Ng Wing-yee

Kit Sam Lam Bing Yim  Secondary School

Memorable visit

We visited some elderly people during a voluntary programme recently.

At first, I thought they were dirty, shy and annoying.

But I enjoyed talking to them and got along with them very well. I learned how to listen and respond to others' feelings.

Now I know that 'it is more blessed to give than to receive'.

Ku To-chiu



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