Jasper Zhao and Samantha Li
我聽日要去港大上暑校，學嘅係線性代數。其實我更想學生物相關嘅課程，但只有呢個選擇。不過我數學都唔錯，所以就報咗線性代數。呢個課程持續20日，有6個學分。我來自內地甘肅嘅一所普通高中，但我自學咗國際課程。我今年17歲，即將高三畢業。
我參加過一啲生物競賽，例如BBO同ABO。BBO差一分就能拎金獎，真係好遺憾。國內嘅生物競賽我都參加咗，但只拎到省級，冇能進入國賽。呢啲競賽真係好難，尤其係國內嘅，因為係選拔制。如果要考港大嘅話，可能要高考前全省30名，全省可能幾十個，二十萬人裡面要前一百左右，就好困難。呢個係關於用高考成績申請港大嘅情況。因為呢個原因，我覺得走國際課程可能對我嚟講更划算啲。如果我走國際課程單獨申請港大，可能會相對容易啲。
我嘅托福成績有啲唔平衡，閱讀聽力29分，但口語寫作只有19分。呢個可能係因為喺內地，冇咁多講英語嘅機會。我哋學嘅英語好死板，主要學語法同一啲唔常用嘅高級詞彙，實際交流能力並唔強。例如SAT考試嘅詩歌題就特別難，因為我哋平時根本冇接觸過呢種內容。
內地高中嘅壓力真係好大。每周都有考試，管理都好嚴格。例如頭髮唔可以過眉毛，一定要著校服。我哋早上6點半就要起床，晚上11點40先可以放晚自習，有啲同學返去仲要學到凌晨2、3點。老師嘅觀念就係'假期係彎道超車嘅時候'，要求我哋利用好假期超過其他人。因為我要準備國際考試經常請假，老師就會喺全班面前批評我，話如果我能考上港大，半個學校嘅人都能考上，呢種話聽落嚟好傷人。
嚟到香港之後，感覺好唔一樣。呢度更自由開放，文化都更多元化。我哋去咗蘭桂坊，扮成年人溜進去玩咗一陣，冇人查我哋嘅身份證，覺得好刺激。不過呢度嘅物價真係好貴，一瓶礦泉水要16蚊，喺我哋果度只要1、2蚊。
我仲去咗海洋公園，覺得好好玩。不過聽講內地嘅主題公園可能更好啲，設施更多。香港俾我嘅感覺就係一個好有代表性嘅城市，文化多元性好強，好自由開放。呢邊嘅老奶奶講英語都好好，細朋友哋交流全用英語，覺得語言環境真係好唔一樣。
關於未來，我仲喺考慮係讀生物定係心理學。我好想讀心理學，但爸媽覺得就業唔太好。佢哋話即使係斯坦福大學嘅心理學專業，就業率都好低。不過美國大學好靈活，可以隨時轉專業，所以我仲有時間考慮。
總嘅嚟講，我希望能去美國讀大學，體驗唔同嘅教育方式同生活環境。但如果去唔到，可能會揀喺澳門或者香港讀大學。我覺得出國留學能畀我更多機會，接觸唔同嘅文化同思想。不過最終都要睇屋企嘅經濟情況，因為美國嘅學費真係好貴。
我明天要去港大上夏校,学的是线性代数。其实我更想学生物相关的课程,但只有这个选择。不过我数学还不错,所以就报了线性代数。这个课程持续20天,有6个学分。我来自内地甘肃的一所普通高中,但我自学了国际课程。我今年17岁,马上就高三毕业了。
我参加过一些生物竞赛,比如BBO和ABO。BBO差一分就能拿金奖,真的很遗憾。国内的生物竞赛我也参加了,但只拿到省级,没能进入国赛。这些竞赛真的很难,尤其是国内的,因为是选拔制。如果要考港大的话，可能要高考进全省前30，全省可能几十个，二十万人里面要前一百左右，就非常困难。这是关于通过高考成绩申请港大的情况。因为这个原因，我觉得走国际课程可能对我来说更划算一些。如果我走国际课程单独申请港大，可能会相对容易一些。
我的托福成绩有点不平衡,阅读听力29分,但口语写作只有19分。这可能是因为在内地,没有太多说英语的机会。我们学的英语很死板,主要学语法和一些不常用的高级词汇,实际交流能力并不强。比如SAT考试中的诗歌题就特别难,因为我们平时根本没接触过这种内容。
内地高中的压力真的很大。每周都有考试,管理也很严格。比如头发不能过眉毛,必须穿校服。我们早上6点半就要起床,晚上11点40才能下晚自习,有些同学回去还要学到凌晨2、3点。老师的观念就是'假期是弯道超车的时候',要求我们利用好假期超过别人。因为我要准备国际考试经常请假,老师就会在全班面前批评我,说如果我能考上港大,半个学校的人都能考上,这种话听起来挺伤人的。
来到香港后,感觉很不一样。这里更自由开放,文化也更多样化。我们去了兰桂坊,装作成年人溜进去玩了一下,没人查我们的身份证,感觉挺刺激的。不过这里的物价真的很贵,一瓶矿泉水要16块钱,在我们那边只要1、2块。
我还去了海洋公园,觉得挺好玩的。不过听说内地的主题公园可能更好一些,设施更多。香港给我的感觉就是一个很有代表性的城市,文化多样性很强,很自由开放。这边的老奶奶说英语都挺好的,小朋友们交流全用英语,感觉语言环境真的很不一样。
关于未来,我还在考虑是学生物还是心理学。我挺想读心理学的,但父母觉得就业不太好。他们说即使是斯坦福大学的心理学专业,就业率也很低。不过美国大学很灵活,可以随时转专业,所以我还有时间考虑。
总的来说,我希望能去美国读大学,体验不同的教育方式和生活环境。但如果去不了,可能会选择在澳门或者香港读大学。我觉得出国留学能给我更多机会,接触不同的文化和思想。不过最终还是要看家里的经济状况,因为美国的学费确实很贵。
Tomorrow, I am going to attend a summer school at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to study Linear Algebra. Actually, I'd prefer to study something related to biology, but this was the only choice available. However, I'm decent at math, so I registered for Linear Algebra. This course lasts for 20 days and carries 6 credits. I come from an ordinary high school in mainland Gansu, but I have self-studied an international curriculum. I am 17 years old and will soon graduate from high school.
I have participated in some biology competitions, such as BBO and ABO. I was one point away from a gold award in BBO, which is really regrettable. I also participated in domestic biology competitions, but only achieved at the provincial level and could not reach the national competition. These competitions are really tough, especially the ones in the mainland, because they are selection-based. If I want to apply to HKU, I might need to be within the top 30 of the college entrance examination in the province. The province may only have dozens of places, and to be within the top 100 out of 200,000 people is quite difficult. This is the situation regarding applying to HKU with college entrance examination scores. For this reason, I think it might be more worthwhile for me to take the international curriculum. If I apply to HKU separately via the international curriculum, it might be relatively easier.
My TOEFL scores are a bit unbalanced, with 29 points for reading and listening, but only 19 points for speaking and writing. This might be because there aren't many opportunities to speak English in the mainland. The English we learn is very rigid, focusing mainly on grammar and some less common advanced vocabulary. Our actual communication skills are not strong. For example, the poetry questions in the SAT exam are particularly difficult, as we don't encounter such content in our daily studies.
The pressure of high school in mainland is really great. We have exams every week, and the management is very strict. For example, hair cannot be longer than the eyebrows, and school uniforms must be worn. We have to wake up at 6:30 in the morning, and evening self-study doesn't end until 11:40 at night. Some students even study until 2 or 3 a.m. when they get back home. The teachers' concept is that 'holidays are the time to overtake on a bend', and they require us to make good use of the holidays to surpass others. As I often take leave to prepare for international exams, the teacher will criticize me in front of the whole class, saying that if I can get into HKU, half of the school could get in, which is quite hurtful to hear.
After coming to Hong Kong, it feels very different. It's more open and free, and the culture is also more diverse. We went to Lan Kwai Fong, pretending to be adults, sneaking in to have some fun without anyone checking our IDs, which was quite exciting. However, the cost of living here is really high. A bottle of mineral water costs 16 dollars, whereas back home it only costs 1 or 2 dollars.
I also went to Ocean Park and found it quite fun. However, I heard that the theme parks in the mainland might be better, with more facilities. The impression Hong Kong gives me is that it's a very representative city, with a strong cultural diversity and freedom. The elderly here speak good English, and the kids communicate entirely in English, which feels very different from the language environment back home.
As for the future, I am still considering whether to study biology or psychology. I really want to study psychology, but my parents think the employment prospects are not very good. They said that even the psychology major at Stanford University has a low employment rate. However, American universities are very flexible and you can change your major at any time, so I still have time to consider.
Overall, I hope to go to university in the United States to experience different educational methods and living environments. But if I can't make it, I might choose to study at a university in Macau or Hong Kong. I believe studying abroad will give me more opportunities to encounter different cultures and thoughts. However, in the end, it all depends on my family's financial situation, because tuition fees in the United States are indeed very expensive.