A popular venue for comics fans I'm writing in response to the article 'Cosplay cafe' (Young Post, September 6). The concept is new to Hong Kong, but I don't think it will be as popular as in Japan. These cafes mainly serve male customers, with waitresses dressed up as Japanese comic characters. The public are not attracted by the food, but the services offered by the maid cafes. The opening of the Maid Date cafe in Causeway Bay is good news for fans of Japanese comics and animation. Now they have a place where they can share their views on a common interest. Sharon Ho Ka-yi, Leung Shek Chee College Speak English and enjoy learning A new academic year has begun, so set up your goals and prepare to improve yourself. Most of us want to improve our English, but it is easier said than done. It is important to have good oral skills and we must work hard every day to achieve language proficiency. One disadvantage is that Hong Kong schools do not have a proper environment which encourages us to speak English. So, apart from studying abroad, what can we do? We spend a lot of time in school so let's start from there. We can speak English with our friends every day. With time, there will be a huge improvement in our oral skills. We cannot achieve anything unless we persevere. Teachers also play a crucial role, but we can succeed even if we study independently, especially languages. We should be more active in learning a language and should not depend solely on the teacher. Creating a pleasant learning environment will not only boost our academic results, but also help us to enjoy our studies. Cheung Hoi-ching Summer lessons During the summer holidays, I had to go to school to take extra lessons. Some of them were interesting. I liked the drama, English and project assignments. We learned English grammar and how to write properly, while the teacher stressed the importance of paying attention during listening tasks. We also had to do a project about pets. We found most of the information from the library and made a 10-minute presentation. It was very difficult. So Cho-yee, ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School Coffee shop a stain on cultural icon I'm writing to express my views about the controversial expulsion of Starbucks from Forbidden City. I agree with the Chinese government's decision to evict the coffee shop from the 587-year-old landmark in Beijing. Forbidden City is a cultural icon which should not be spoiled by western symbols. There is a big difference between tea and coffee. Tea is part of Chinese culture, while coffee is popular in western countries. The authorities should maintain the traditions at heritage sites. Besides, outside Starbucks cafe there is a big English banner promoting its brand name. English has no place in traditional Chinese culture. You may say that there are English instructions in Forbidden City. But this is to help the thousands of tourists who flock to the site every day. Starbucks does no such thing. If the coffee shop was allowed to continue its business, fast-food chains, such as McDonald's and KFC, would also want to move in. Forbidden City should not be westernised. Starbucks could have tarnished its image, so the mainland officials did the right thing. Carrie Chan Wai-ieng Exporting danger A variety of Chinese goods, including toys, car tyres, food products, toothpaste and medicine, have been recalled or banned around the world this year. They have been taken off the shelves because they are substandard, and could pose a threat to people's health. It has been revealed that some mainland-made toys contain high levels of lead which could lead to brain damage. Foreigners may think that Chinese products are unreliable and this could result in a slowdown of the mainland's economy. The government should monitor the quality of all Chinese products. Otherwise, the country may have to pay a heavy price. Lee Mei-yu, Ju Ching Chu Secondary School (Kwai Chung) No lies, please I recently heard a white lie that made me think a lot. Many people tell such lies in order to be tactful or avoid hurting others. Telling lies gives a bad impression to others, but a white lie can benefit some people. Do you believe it is ok to tell a white lie? Do you think it depends on the situation? In my opinion, we should never lie to others - don't tell even a white lie. Cheng Po-yi, Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College Dreams of being rich I like playing football because it can make me stronger and healthier. I also play computer games with my friend Danny. During weekends, I usually play football with my classmates. On Monday, I go to the school library with Danny, and read stories together. My favourite dessert is mango ice cream. I also like chicken wings. My dream is to be a computer games designer. I hope I can be rich and famous. Liao Jia-hui, ELCHK Lutheran Secondary School
