please pray for me

May was a bad month for me. I lost my job, broke my leg (falling off from my bike), went to Chengdu to find a long-lost friend but failed and my English writing class size dropped to one from five people. But I am grateful. I am still alive and you guys keep cool! Victor

Alert sounds as MERS cases surge

“Dean Fung English”

By Victor Fung

Alert sounds as MERS cases surge Monday, May 05, 2014 Hong Kong may soon see imported cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (中東呼吸綜合症) after a significant increase （急增）in the number of infections worldwide, the Hospital Authority warned. More than 200 cases were confirmed （證實）last month, compared to a previous monthly average of just 15 cases, according to authority chief Leung Pak-yin. Medical staff were also contracting the SARS- like virus （新沙士病毒）, Leung added. He did not rule out (note 1) Hong Kong having cases in the future and urged （敦促） travelers to stay away from (note 2) camels. "The treatment for the MERS virus is not very effective（有效）," Leung said. He said it is necessary to take anti-infection measures at source (note 3). The Department of Health also announced yesterday that three suspected（懷疑）cases were all negative for the MERS virus. The first case involved a 70-year-old man with underlying illnesses (note 4) who traveled to the Mid-east. He developed a cough during the trip but his condition improved after self-medication（自行用藥）. Leung said miscommunication (note 5) might have been a factor in an unrelated fatal medical blunder (note 6). Meanwhile, using a magic paintbrush and his vivid imagination, Sorcerer Mickey will light up the night with dazzling colors at the launch of “Disney Paint The Night”, the new nighttime spectacular coming to Hong Kong Disneyland in October 2014. The parade will mark Hong Kong Disneyland's newest chapter after the completion of its three-part expansion project last year.

From good to better English:

(note 1) rule out=排除。rule=規則、定律、統治、尺；rules of decorum=禮法；the ruled class=被統治階級；out from under=脫離危困境。

(note 2) stay away from=遠離。stay=停留、持久、站住、堅持；stay where you are=請原位勿動；away=離開、不在、不斷，立刻。

(note 3) at source=從源頭上。source=來源、原因、血統；he source of wealth=富源；trace to its source=追根尋源。

(note 4) with underlying illnesses=潛在的疾病。underlying=下層的、基礎的、隱晦的；the underlying mortgage=第一擔保；illnesses=病、不健康；triumph over illness=戰勝疾病。

(note 5) miscommunication=誤傳；錯誤傳達、理解錯誤；software developers need to conform to such conventions to prevent miscommunication=軟體發展者需要遵循這些標準以避免溝通的障礙。

(note 6) a fatal medical blunder=一個致命的醫療事故。fatal=必然的、毀滅性的; medical=醫學的、醫藥的、內科的；blunder=失策、疏忽、弄糟。

Victor’s view:

Figures don’t lie. It is alarming to learn that cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome have increased from 15 to 200 a month. We must keep alert.

First vaccine for dengue

“Dean Fung English”

By Victor Fung

First vaccine for dengue shows promise in trials May 30, 2014

A four-in-one （4合1）vaccine （疫苗）against the mosquito-borne dengue fever （登革熱病）- the scourge （折磨）that puts at risk (note 1) 1.8 billion people in Asia alone - could be available （有效的）for the first time as early as next year.

Sanofi Pasteur, a unit of French firm Sanofi, said its vaccine, which is made from a live dengue virus （病毒）and delivered under the skin, is able to protect children against the four closely related viruses transmitted by (note 2) the Aedes mosquito.

A late-stage trial (note 3) involving 10,000 children aged two to 14 in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia showed a significant（顯著）reduction of 56 percent of dengue cases, Sanofi announced yesterday.

The company is awaiting（等待）results of a similar trial on 20,000 children in several Latin America countries.

It said initial safety data are consistent with (note 4) the "good safety profile" observed in earlier trials（試驗）.

Dengue fever is marked by a skin rash（皮疹）, sudden onset of fever (note 5), severe headache and muscle pain and can be deadly, especially if a person is infected a second time. A full analysis of (note 6) the trial data will be undertaken in the coming weeks and reviewed by external experts.

Meanwhile, over 2,400 local residents flocked to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Tuen Mun Public Riding School's 20th Anniversary Open Day on May 18 to learn about horses and equestrian sport through a series of equine-themed fun activities.

The Jockey Club has funded the establishment of three public riding schools in Hong Kong.

From good to better English:

(note 1) puts at risk=帶來風險。puts=放進、使貼近、做成；put oneself out of the way=自找麻煩；risk=危險、冒險、被保險人。

(note 2) transmitted by=通過傳播。transmitted=傳送、送達、透射、留傳、傳染；metals transmit electricity=金屬傳電；glass transmits light=玻璃透光。

(note 3) A late-stage trial=一個後期試驗。late=遲、晚、前任的；stage=講臺、鏡臺、階段；stage a comeback=捲土重來；trial=預賽、考驗、審判。

(note 4) consistent with=一致的。consistent=協調的、相容的、堅定的；a policy consistent with public good=符合公眾利益的政策。

(note 5) sudden onset of fever=突然發燒。sudden=忽然的、急劇的；onset=攻擊、突擊、開始；fever=熱病、狂熱、興奮。

(note 6) A full analysis of=完整的分析。full=充滿的、豐富的、完美的；analysis=分解、解析、梗概；under analysis=在精神分析治療下。

Victor’s view:

It is great news to learn that a vaccine against the mosquito-borne dengue fever might be available as early as 2015.

HK Comment P09	中國日報香港版	Fung Keung 2014-05-28
Politicians, brush up your English!
Many local politicians try to show off their English language skills in open forums and Legislative Council meetings. Nevertheless, their English proficiency, for lack of a better word, “sucks”. They should refrain from using English and stick to Cantonese — as both English and Cantonese are official languages of Hong Kong. High-school students listen to the radio and watch TV news or public affairs programs as “liberal studies” is a compulsory subject in Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examination. They listen to news programs almost on a daily basis. Young office workers also watch English TV news to understand what is going on in society and improve their communication with co-workers and bosses. Unfortunately, and sadly to say, many local politicians (district council and Legislative Council members) cannot speak fluent or grammatically correct English and quite often they mislead our young with their poor English. Why can’t they just quit and stick to speaking Cantonese? Is it a “inflated ego” issue? Some of this “band” of poor English-speaking politicians reject criticism and advice from people like me, who depends on teaching English for a living. They insist that there is nothing wrong with speaking English with a strong local Cantonese or Putonghua accent. This is red herring. The problem is not their accents. The real problem is that they don’t use the correct pronunciation and grammar. Simply put, they don’t have a clue of proper English usage. Radio Television Hong Kong’s English-broadcasting channel Radio 3 has a morning news program between 8.30 am and 9.30 am, in which many politicians are interviewed by phone to discuss current issues. Many a time people in the audience, like me, who listen to this popular current affairs program hear statements like “the woman hawker and his husband” or “students don’t study books harder”. For the sake of not misleading our young, if the politicians’ English is not good enough, they shouldn’t speak it on public occasions. I don’t mind if they speak it at private dinners or their friends’ birthday parties. Coincidentally, many of these poor English speakers, in order to boost their own confidence and try to impress the public, often call themselves Dr A or Dr B. When one looks closer, the doctorate is an honorary degree from an unknown institution in North America or Europe. In the West, people with honorary degrees never call themselves Dr A or Dr B. Only some shameless Hong Kong people would do so. I am a teacher and am passionate about teaching English. I suffer when I hear my students pick up some of these politicians’ lousy English expressions. Some politicians try to impress government officials, other politicians and the public that they can speak the English language, they have no shame in blurting out sentences such as “I will do my breast”. Confident politicians don’t have to speak English to show off or impress their colleagues. Only those who speak poor English use the language to boost their image. But it backfires. They should be ashamed of misleading our young and setting a bad example. They are well-advised to be charitable and refrain from such displays. Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, president of the Legislative Council, should consider setting up a committee to review meeting procedures with a view to establishing a requirement that the 70 council members can only speak in English if they pass a certain standard (e.g. obtaining a 6.5 score or above in the popular IELTS [International English Language Testing System]). I know this is a sensitive issue but for the benefit of our future generations, it’s time to take the bull by the horns. The author is coordinator of the B.S.Sc in financial journalism program at Hong Kong Baptist University. (his email: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)

I must apologize to my fans as I didn't upload anything for almost a year. Now that I don't have a full-time job, I can afford to upload more stuff onto this site. Pls spread the word.

1. I run an English writing group on Sat from 10am to noon. (My email is deanfungenglish@gmail.com)
2. I'd polish essays and theses for AD, undergrad and graduate students from now on. There isn't conflict of interest as I am no longer a full-time staff of HKBU.

Stay in touch and please help promote my service. Thanks for helping me pay the rent.

Victor Fung
May 27, 2014

common errors, my new book