Book fair turns DIY (note 1) e-page

Book lovers will be able to create their own works (作品) on the spot (即場) at the Hong Kong Book Fair, which opens today.

The "Future Book Store" equipped with a newly created (note 2) platform (平台) will allow visitors to choose as many as 20 pages from 132 e-books (電子書), including travel, cooking and education, from about 30 publishers. Ten touch-screen machines are provided so visitors can write their e-book.

First, visitors need to download free application software (note 3) to their smart phones, iPhone or Android. Then they choose up to 20 pages from the books on the touch-screen machine. After keying in a mobile number or e-mail address on the machine, visitors can download (下載) their books.

Ian Chan Yin, deputy editor-in-chief of one of the publishers taking part (note 4) in designing the new reading zone, said the aim of the future store is to inspire readers to think about what's coming along the line (note 5). "We hope this technology can lead to more discussions among readers and innovations (新設計) among publishers," he said.

Fair organiser the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and publishers spent five months designing and developing this "totally new" technology. Chan said the technology might be made available in the local market. TDC deputy executive director Benjamin Chau Kai-leung said electronic books are a key feature of the fair, and the number of e-book publishers is 52 percent up on last year.

The new zone is located in the fair's e-book and e-learning resources area (資源區), which is 72 percent larger than last year. Reading e-books is increasingly common in Hong Kong, Chau said, pointing to "a new trend (新趨勢)." The fair, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, runs until Tuesday.

From good to better English:

(note 1) DIY=自己動手做 (do it yourself)。do-it-yourself 也可以是形容詞，例如: Victor tried to buy a do-it-yourself kit for building a bomb (Victor 想買製造炸彈的說明書)。。

(note 2) newly created =新建做的。Create=創設，設立；建設。Creative=有創造力的, 創造性的, 啟發想像力的。例句: Dean Fung wants to become a creative writer (Dean Fung先成為一個有想像力的作家)。

(note 3) application software=應用程式軟件。Application program又叫app。App是很多字的簡寫，例如: appendix(書的附錄)， appeals (上訴)，approved (批准，贊成，滿意)。The Legislative Council approved the bill=立法會批准了該項法案。The most approved method=最好的辦法。

(note 4) take part=有份參與。be on the take =受賄。have what it takes=稱職。take back= 收回。take issue with = 對事務持異意。take pains to =盡力。take someone to one side 把某人拉到一邊。Mo Mo always takes up the ball and run =Mo Mo 常常主動去做。

(note 5) along the line= during the time while something is happening or being done (差不多、同時) 。It means "more or less" or something in the direction, or in the style of 。例句: Victor went to the store to buy a guitar for his concert and the salesperson asked him what kind of guitar he was looking for。Victor said: "Something along the line of what Bob Dylan plays with"。(Victor想買一部差不多跟Bob Dylan彈的結他。)

Victor’s View: I can’t agree more with the publisher that electronic books are the way to go. Hey friends, buy a kindle, Nook or an iPad. The pleasure my iPad gave me was beyond description.

(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 4 books on English-enhancement [the latest, titled <<學會演說、改變你的人生>>, was published on July 18] and plans to write 6 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)