Official Languages Officer Written Examination (OLOWE)

  While known, or some may say “notorious”, for its crowded cityscape, Hong Kong is inextricably connected to nature.  About 67% of its 1 100 square kilometres of land is open countryside which is just a stone’s throw from the city centre.  Straddling the transition zone between the tropical and temperate regions, Hong Kong is blessed with a huge diversity of flora with a mix of indigenous and exotic species, among which trees form an essential component that adds colour and life to the modern city.

  In a city, trees perform many functions.  They can improve air quality, filter roadside pollution, mitigate urban heat and enhance city aesthetics.  They also provide delightful shades of green and induce a pleasant scent of freshness to counteract the general stress of city life.  In the middle of a hot summer’s day, many people love to sit under the cool canopy of their outstretched branches to take shelter from the heat.  Yet, like other living organisms, trees have a natural cycle.  They grow and age, and will become weak and die one day.  Exposed to the natural elements, trees are also particularly vulnerable during thunderstorms or heavy rain.  On average, some 8 000 trees are felled each year by the Government for various reasons such as aging, diseases, natural forces and woodland management.  When a tree poses imminent danger to life and property, it would only be prudent to remove the threat without delay.

  Apart from public safety, the preservation of trees has to take account of other policy considerations in the interests of the community.  Whether an ailing tree should be saved depends on a number of factors, such as the health condition of the tree, its value, the expected chance of survival and the cost and effort involved.

  Trees grow and blossom, but they also need maintenance to stay healthy in an urban environment.  It is hoped that with the collaborative efforts of all sectors of the community, trees can be managed in the most effective manner for the promotion of city greening and the safe enjoyment of all.

  開埠之初，香港只是一個小小的漁港，人口稀疏。時至今日，香港已蛻變成國際知名的金融中心，居民超過730萬人。2017年，香港全年本地生產總值超過3,400億美元，人均本地生產總值高達46,200美元，發展可謂一日千里。

  為配合社會急速發展，政府多年來進行長遠策略規劃，為香港的城市發展勾劃藍圖，為土地規劃、基建發展和環境保育制訂指引。自上世紀70年代起，政府每隔十年便檢討全港發展策略，使香港與時並進，成為宜居、具競爭力和可持續發展的「亞洲國際都會」。

  香港近年發展蓬勃，同時也面對重大挑戰。內部方面，人口和樓宇正面臨「雙老化」的嚴峻考驗，而市民也渴望享有更佳的生活環境。在區域發展方面，香港是通往世界和鄰近地區的門戶，但區內競爭激烈，香港亟需尋找新出路，以保持優勢。在國際層面，貿易保護主義、氣候變化和科技發展也促使我們重新思索香港未來的發展模式。

  有見及此，政府計劃就本港的長遠策略規劃進行為期六個月的公眾參與活動，以期集思廣益，與市民攜手建設香港，使之成為獨特多元、共融互助的城市。

  閱讀是擴闊知識、增加智慧的鑰匙。除了傳統印刷書本外，電子書亦因輕巧易攜而廣受歡迎。一項調查發現，近年市民上網閱讀的時間明顯增加，每日上網閱讀中位數由去年的1小時，上升至今年的2小時。請代表教育局局長撰寫文章一篇(約600字)，鼓勵市民閱覽香港公共圖書電子資料庫內的電子雜誌、電子書和電子剪報。

  Plastic straws are quickly becoming a dining taboo.  A growing number of restaurants and cafés in Hong Kong have stopped serving beverages with straws unless customers ask for them.  Love Our Ocean Foundation, a charitable organisation dedicated to the protection of the sea, will team up with local restaurants and educational institutions to launch a campaign titled “Skip the Straw” to spread the message of cutting down on the use of plastic straws.  The Secretary for Environment has been invited to officiate and speak at the kick-off ceremony.  Write a speech of about 600 words for the Secretary to call on the public to help protect the ocean by saying no to plastic straws and adopting other environment-friendly habits.