paw prints KGV’s STUDENT NEWSPAPER
ISSUE 7
DEC 2014
cross country speech day challenge week reviews
Rhian Anderson portrays Dorothy Gale in the student production of Wizard of Oz, December 2014 Read more on Page 10 2
paw prints I S SUE 7
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DEC EMBER 2014
pg 4 cross country
pg 5 speech day
pg 6 challenge week stories 10 Wizard of Oz written by Ms C Payne
11 Box of Hope, Army of Death 13 Reviews Corner written by Abhay Venkitaraman, Laura Just Fung
written by Bonnie Qu, Alisa Cha, et al.
On the cover Cross Country 2014 November 2014
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X-Country
by Christianna Fung, Heet Dani, Paco Wong, edited by Ji Yun Lee During the 3rd to the 6th of November, cross country, one of the major interhouse events, was full of enjoyment‌ but was also a nerve-wracking experience for the house captains. The competitors got into their trainers and started warming up on the field, getting ready to begin the run of a life time. All elite runners ran an amazing distance of 4.4km, whilst all the fun runners ran 2.2km. Crozier won the overall event with 81 points, followed by Upsdell and Nightingale with 75 points and Rowell with 59 points. Crozier was able to maintain last year’s Cross Country win, along with their streak of victory of the Swimming Gala and Interhouse Knitting.
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The amount of participation and excitement was overflowing. Everybody had the will to win and participate for their house, especially Upsdell, who got rained with chocolate as a mean of encouragement. In overall, Upsdell had won the fun run, but Crozier had taken the crown with the victory of elite. The teachers and staff who were involved also did an amazing job pushing and encouraging students to do the best of their ability. Mr. Corrigall came first in the fun run amongst teachers, but Crozier teachers were still able to come first for fun run overall.
Speech Day
by Kessandra Ng, Hayley Chow, Elly Hung, Christianna Fung, Paco Wong Speech Day, a prestigious event where outstanding KGV students are recognised for their achievements, has been a long-lasting tradition in KGV’s lengthy history. This year, it has taken place on Friday, 7th November, at the Baptist University Academic Community Hall, starting after 6 pm. Each year, KGV invites guest speakers to open the ceremony, and this year, it was Mr. Douglas Young, CEO of Goods and Desire. He opened with an inspiring speech highlighting the main classic designs that surround us. In his speech, Mr Young recommended that young people should see the world, not just Hong Kong. Having lived in the United Kingdom, he has come to understand this very well. “You need to look - open your eyes…see Hong Kong from a fresh set of eyes”. He then went on to talk about design, an area in which he is particularly familiar with. “Design matters to everyone”, he says. As an example, he showed us what he considers to be a design icon: the ceramic chinese spoon, which has “a beautiful shape”, is “stackable”, whilst above all, retaining its usefulness and strength. Following on, our Head Boy (Sidney Tsang) and Head Girl (Joo Eun Kim) were our MCs for the evening. Awards given out included the Middle School Attainment Prizes (highest GPA in cohort), the Yr10/12 Subject Prizes, the Colours Awards (Exceptional levels of commitment and performance in the specified co-curricular endeavour), as well as tutor group prizes which reflect individual brilliance during and outside tutor group sessions. Special memorial prizes were also given out, such as the Ivan Leung Memorial Prize, the Welfare League Memorial Prize, and the Liang Memorial Science Prize. These notable awards recognise specific achievements of several students, both in academic and social areas. Finally, members of the audience were also treated to an engaging performance by the choir and the orchestra, who sang and played numerous pieces, including “Smooth” by Santana and “The Ground”, a a contemporary latin piece by Oja Gjeilo. Concluding with a resounding chorus of “Honestas Ante Honores”, this year’s Speech Day has certainly been a night to remember.
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Challenge Week Stories Thai Foodie by Anson Ma
Curry! Coconut milk! Chilli! These ingredients, though embodying the fragrant spirit of delicious Thai cuisine, are only a small taste of the wide range of flavours we experienced on this delightful trip. The trip “Thai Foodie” is just what it sounds like- a journey dedicated to learning the intricate art of Thai cooking. As a newcomer to cooking in general, this was truly a challenging week for me, as I not only had to grasp the basics of making a meal, but also make one that satisfied the palate of true Thai natives. We started our journey in Chiang Mai, the largest city in northern Thailand – a vast difference to bustling Bangkok! Lucky for us, we had the luxury of staying at the Maekok River Village Resort, where the resort staff generously took the time to teach us the foundations of Thai cooking, which involved making quintessential dishes including Tom Yum Gong (spicy prawn soup and red pork curry. As a bonus, we also got to learn a few basic Thai phrases such as “Ni tao rai ka?” (“How much is it?”), which came in use once we visited the local marketplace. Soon, we learnt that there was far more to Thai cooking than simply tossing in spices; as it turned out, it involved the philosophy of balancing flavours. This meant that our cooking must include many different ingredients to achieve this; for example, salty chicken stock and fish sauce may be used, but it must be balanced with lime leaves and chilli. As part of our journey into northern Thai cuisine, we also tried our hand at Burmese village food. After our short dive into the ways of cooking, it was finally time for the long-awaited Master Chef competition, where we demonstrated our cooking prowess against other competitors in order to win the grand prize. The competition involved a long, toiling process in which we had to cook three different meals that matched a theme of our choice. Afterwards came the taste testing. The judging panel was a tough one to crack with years of food knowledge under their belts. Amongst them were esteemed gourmet Sean Peter Wray, along with the head chef and culinary instructor of the hotel. At the end of the judging period, the results were announced; by some miracle, my group had won second place! I can say with confidence that this was the first Challenge Week trip in which I had learnt a skill that I would be able to put to use for a long time.
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Challenge Week Stories Focus on Film
by Sanil Chandiramani, edited by Kessandra Ng LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! Focus on Film is a week of filming with a professional company that comes in to KGV to help us. They gave us different scripts for different scenarios, and we had to act them out. That was definitely a fun part of my trip! Then for filming, we learnt to use new equipment, including tripods and professional cameras. We even got the opportunity to visit the HK Heritage Museum and film a kung-fu scene in the afternoon! The next days, Thursday and Friday, we spent the entire day editing our film, and this was a rather challenging part - that’s why it’s called “Challenge Week”, after all. Finally on the last day, the Year 7s watched our films, and they seemed to enjoy watching our acting, editing and our irreplaceable humour. AND CUT!
Year 7 Leaders by Rubaiyat Quader
Satisfying. As frustrating and maddening this experience was, an outcome of what was not expected is what came out of it - the feeling of satisfaction. A feeling of accomplishment and relief! The only reason the leaders enrolled themselves into this activity was because they either couldn’t go overseas or just weren’t bothered to do anything ‘challenging’. However, ‘challenging’ would be the only suitable word to describe this activity. Running and screaming to catch the escaping children and repeatedly convincing them to behave were just some of the many frustrating jobs we were responsible for. It was one hell of a week. However, the trip taught us helpers some valuable lessons. In a way, we were parents for a week. The most exciting parts of the week were the days we took the kids dragon boating, where each leader drummed for their boat. The children felt it was unfair how we leaders didn’t have to paddle, but we had done our paddling years ago when we were in year 7. They were complaining and begging to get the chance to drum, but we constantly refused because it was our moment to be in charge…finally! The toughest day was inevitably the hiking day. We had to reach certain checkpoints while making our journey to trio beach before and during we entered the steep hills. Honestly, the trail of hiking is tiring enough, and to add an extra activity with it makes it worse. Some children couldn’t even make it halfway before they cried out of exhaustion. It really held quite a few of us leaders back. However, that is what you call a real challenge and we did it! All in all, the trip was a great unexpected experience, which we will hopefully never have to do again. Just kidding! No seriously, never again, sorry kids.
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Challenge Week Stories Tibet
by Yuen Yau Tsang, edited by Aaryam Srivastava Tibet, one thing I ticked off my bucket list. I never thought it was possible in my life that I would have a chance to visit this extraordinary place. It was a fun-filled 8-day trip. Every day in Tibet seemed to be a challenge due to the high altitude, but we all got over it eventually. As we separated into groups and slowly steered up the rocky mountains, we were all stunned by the emerald-green mountains jutting into to the sky and the rings of snow that covered the sky-punching mountains. “We are going up high!” my friend Sam shouted. We looked out the window, trying to capture every single bit of the breathtaking scenery. After a two hour journey, we finally stepped out of the van and took in a breath of heaven smelling fresh air. The first things that came into our sight were a clear blue lake, clear as a crystal, as well as several powder-puff clouds in the sky. It was the most magnificent experience that helped me release stress and appreciate the beauty of nature. Is there a more peaceful place in the world!? We had all seen the breathtaking views, but it was not the end yet. Driving up a one-way road, we arrived at a magical, tranquil village. Once we walked through, I could feel the energy of the people through their smiles and the joyful way they greeted us. We started off by hiking up steep steps. After a few, the high altitude started to kick in. Most of us felt tired and wanted to give up, but we knew that was not going to happen. I thought to myself that it was an experience of a lifetime, and I could not just give up right then. The great support and encouragement from everyone really helped us to push ourselves to the limit. Eventually when we got up, we enjoyed the greetings of small traditional red-bricked monasteries among the green rocky slopes. This place of mystery and wonder enchanted us to learn more about the ancient Tibetan Buddhist culture. The most unforgettable thing that I will always remember was when our group was asked to put up a sign which helped spread awareness about littering. Being told that the sign was to be placed up a mountain, we were all very shocked, but we still had to do it. When we started walking up those steep steps, we were all feeling miserable. “How come we are assigned such a tough task?” I grumbled in my mind. However, with our perseverance, we all managed to reach the destination. We cooled down and started reflecting on this amazing trip. Yet we were shocked again when we found out that the sign was supposed to be placed somewhere else. Although, sitting on top of the mountain breathing in fresh air and looking at the extraordinary scenery made me think about how big the world was. Having my friends there with me made the hard and arduous treks all worth it.
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The trip to Tibet was way more than what I had thought of: all of the things we experienced, the high altitude sickness, meeting new people, learning how to speak the native language, and a lot more. It has turned me into a more independent person and helped me handle situations in a more mature way. Thanks to this unforgettable experience, I have promised myself that I will go back to Tibet again to explore more about this amazing culture. Hopefully the Himalayas will be ticked off my bucket list next!!
Challenge Week Stories Year 7 Insight
by Abhay Venkitaraman, edited by Anson Ma, Stanley Cheung This October, the Year 7’s had an excellent Challenge Week. We did many activities over the week and it was a great start to our Challenge Week experience at KGV. During the week, we had the pleasure of partaking in many activities; we participated in drama and dragon boating and also went to Lantau Island and the HK Wetland Park. The sponsored walk (though it was hardly a walk!) was positively exhausting. The journey took us from Sai Kung Town to Trio Beach, passing through villages and mountains. The walk involved reaching a series of checkpoints before reaching our destination. Not only did the walk challenged our physical fitness, it also tested our mental skills; we had to traverse the town with only a compass and map to guide us. Trying to figure out how to use these navigation tools meant that we had to work successfully as a team. It was only after we reached Trio Beach we were able to refresh ourselves with a nice, cool swim in the beach. During our visit to Lantau Island, we had a crash course in ecology and biology, and went on a small but steep hike in our groups. We also learned about natural disasters that could potentially happen in more natural environments such as wildfires, and we were taught about fire breakers and how they can help stop fires that can destroy countrysides. Though Crozier students missed out on the Lantau trip, the Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai was just as educational. During the trip, we were educated on the different types of trees present in Hong Kong, and why it was better to have native plants. We also took part in some group activities. We had to consider the hypothetical situation of a five-star hotel being built over the Wetland Park. Each of our groups had different jobs, and in the end, we sent different representatives to different areas where discussions about the topic were held. The dragon boating was a new experience for many of us, and we were glad to have taken part in it. After having a few turns on the boats and learning how to paddle, we had races between our Challenge Week groups. At the end, two teams went on to compete in the final race, where they would be competing with other houses. It was extremely competitive, and all in all, it was a truly unforgettable activity for us. We also got to recuperate from our adventurous experiences with a fun-filled and exciting day in KGV, where we got to do a Play in a Day. We did a few drama-related activities and games before we made a play and performed it to the other Crozier Year 7’s. On Friday, the groups which had qualified for the dragon boating from all four houses finals went back to Sai Kung to compete. The rest of us stayed in school and played some more games. Then, we had an awards presentation where awards were presented to many student who were helpful or cheerful during Challenge Week. Afterwards, we got to watch movies that were made by the Guerilla Film School and the Focus on Film challenge week groups. Thank you to Blue Sky Sports for making our dragon boating experience awesome and congratulations to group Crozier 4 for winning the Dragon Boating competition.
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Following the Yellow Brick Road to the Magical Land of Oz by Ms C Payne
As the Munchkins famously sing to Dorothy, audiences followed the Yellow Brick Road and experienced a performance to remember as they entered the land of Oz on December 3rd, 4th and 5th. This year’s school production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ showcased the fine talents of students from years 7 to 13 in a colourful explosion of song and dance. The story revolves around a runaway, Dorothy (played by Rhian Anderson) and her little dog Toto (a very dog-like Jaydon Luk) being transported from her beloved Kansas to the Land of Oz by a cyclone. In this weird and wonderful place, where trees speak, crows sing and little Munchkin people pop out of nowhere, she meets a magical array of people including Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (Celina Wong), the clumsy Scarecrow (Dylan Osborne), the heartwarming Tin Man (Rock Lee) and the very cowardly Lion (Leif Tse) who all help her defeat the Wicked Witch of the West (Yu Kitamura) and find her way back to Kansas. The creative direction by Mr Baker and Ms Young encompassed all the fun and magic of the MGM film. Performed in the Theatre in the Round, the performers were able to get up close and personal with the audience, creating comic moments such as holding Ms Gulch’s scooter and the sudden appearance of the Tin Man. Ms Murchie directed the orchestra, consisting of both teachers and music students, to a professional level, bringing an energy to the show that enthralled both singers and audience members. For many students, this was the first time they had performed in a full length show, and their commitment to rehearsals during lunch, after school and even at weekends, is to be commended. The costumes, designed by the talented D&T department, were remarkable. Inspired by the film, Dorothy’s dress and ruby slippers encapsulated the innocence of the all-American 1930s, whilst the brightly coloured gnome-like Munchkins made it clear that she “wasn’t in Kansas anymore”. The attention to detail ran throughout the supporting cast’s costumes, with frayed yarn on the scarecrow’s hat, the Witch’s green nails and the Tin Man’s silvered hair. With the audience so close to the actors, this made the magic all the more real and supported their outstanding performances beautifully. An enthusiastic and beautifully cohesive piece of theatre, this show will surely remain as close to our hearts as the song ‘Over the Rainbow”. Fabulous.
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Box of Hope by Abhay Venkitaraman
As we have been doing for the past few years, Middle School students conceived and executed a project called Box of Hope. It was a project in which students had a chance to donate educational items, toys and health products to less fortunate children around the world. As usual, many students pitched in to give in these items and put them in boxes that were sent all around the world. We are proud to say that over 250 boxes were given in by Middle School in total! It is hard to describe the feeling when you give something to someone less fortunate. I spoke to some of the Middle School students about the Box of Hope project and this is what they had to say: When I donated something for Box of Hope, I had a feeling of generosity and happiness. I had the thought of making someone happy, and so I wanted to donate something for Box of Hope. At the same time, I felt sad too. I felt sad for the people around the world that are less fortunate than us, and I felt sad for unfortunate children around the world that didn’t get a box. The Box of Hope shows us that it is never too early to start learning that sharing is indeed caring. And the Box of Hope project is a very good way to teach Middle School students to do their own bit in caring for the less fortunate. Mother Teresa once said “It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving”. Through the Box of Hope project, the Middle School students at KGV have been consistently showing that they do care.
The Army of Death by Laura Just Fung; edited by Bonnie Qu
Laura JUST FUNG is a Year 8 student. Below is her outstanding piece of narrative writing. Grade: 27/30; A* The sun burned down on the desert sands, scorching the land into nothing but dust. The desert was devoid of all life except for the odd lizard and cactus. Mirages rippled across the blisteringly hot air, ready to trick any who gazed upon it. Dark clouds hung low on the horizon. A young girl of about 16 stood on the edge of the massive desert. Her bright blue eyes scanned the horizon. Dark blond hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, exposing her pale face, stoic yet frightened. “They’re coming. Soon.” She uttered these words to herself. Her blue eyes widened with fear and her stoic mask broke to show her true feelings. Fear, terror. Her mouth went as dry as the desert in front of her. Her body shook, heart thumping, pulse pumping. Thump. She just wanted to run, run and never look back. She wasn’t strong enough. She was probably the weakest person for this job. Wasn’t there somebody better than her? The dark clouds drew closer, and then dispersed. The Army of Death. The urge to run grew stronger.
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The Army of Death (cont.) “Come on, Cassandra, you can do this,” she muttered. Cassandra drew on shaky hand out in front of her and concentrated. Searching for the minds of the Army of Death. Immediately she started screaming. Pain, white hot agonising pain. Her mind was splitting with the force of attack the Army threw at her. The Army was like a dark wave and she a helpless mouse. A blade of grass trying to stop a hurricane. “I - I can’t. Can’t do this!” Cassandra screamed. She fell to her knees, clutching her head. Her eyes were screwed shut against the pain. A gleaming tear made its way down her cheek. Cassandra stopped trying. She opened her eyes and tiredly, helplessly watched as the Army marched on. Her eyes were drawn to a city, the city the Army was marching towards. The City of Lights. It glowed softly with light. So beautiful. Its crystal towers pierced the clouds and reflected the city’s glory. Not for long; soon, all of it would be gone, extinguished. If she let the Army get there. Struggling, she pulled herself to her feet. Against she reached her hand out, but this time, it wasn’t shaking. Again she concentrated and sought out the minds of the soldiers in the Army of Death. Her mind was a wall of determination. She could not fail. And then she squeezed. Mind like a vice grip, she took the Army’s minds and crushed them into fine dust. None survived her attack. Trembling with exhaustion, Cassandra dropped to the ground. And then it hit her. She was a murderer! So many lives, gone! And she was the one who did it. Darkness beckoned, smiling serenely, offering relief from her guilt and pain. Cassandra, wrecked with exhaustion and guilt, took its hand. And then, Cassandra felt no more.
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THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY OF FALL TELEVISION Bonnie Qu TV shows are cancelled all the time. It’s an unavoidable part of the cycle of life. (Looking at you, FOX. We will never forget Arrested Development.) Still - does it have to be so brutal? One of the shows I’m about to review deserves to stay on the air forever, one deserves to stay off the air forever, and the last probably should’ve ended a long time ago. Hence the title of this article. BLACK-ISH (season 1)
Race-driven TV shows don’t tend to fare well (racism is still alive and real, everyone), but Black-ish is quite the exception. Boasting a stellar ensemble that never fails to impress - including four child actors that do not, surprisingly, suck - and solid writing week in and week out, Black-ish really is the Dummy’s Guide to Modern TV. The reason it deserves your viewership? Everything. I was apprehensive about it at first, but after a few episodes, it’s clear that the show’s already found its rhythm, which is exceptionally rare for a freshman comedy. Even the undeniable classics take a season or two (read: The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Parks and Recreation). This new show - created by Kenya Barris points out some problems with black stereotypes and prejudice against them incisively, and even though we laugh, it always packs something of a punch. When I’m in my forties and watching Black-ish season 28, I hope it’s as great as it is now. SELFIE (season 1)
Oh, man, oh, man. I was excited about Selfie. First of all, Karen Gillan stars in it, and she is, objectively speaking, the most attractive human being on the planet. Second of all, we were going to get an Asian-American romantic lead - otherwise known as John Cho. It’s not often that you see both those things in modern media. Still, Selfie fell a little short. It wasn’t a bad show - not by a long shot. Selfie was an excellent watch, never failing to put a smile on my face. Emily Kapnek, of Suburgatory fame, created a truly wild, colorful show - literally and metaphorically. (Really - the colors in the show are amazing.) However, it’s just not the sort of thing people want to see. Perhaps the fact that it was based on the classic My Fair Lady made it predictable. Perhaps the timeslot just wasn’t right. Perhaps the somewhat annoying title did it in. Regardless of what the reason might be, Selfie was enjoyable and worthy of attention; it just didn’t deliver.
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Fall Television (cont.) MODERN FAMILY (season 6)
Everyone knows about Modern Family. It’s one of the most iconic TV shows of the decade (Arrested Development notwithstanding - can you tell I’m still bitter about it?), with five consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series and four Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor (Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet). Still, anyone who still watches it can agree that it’s run its course. Five years ago, Modern Family was revolutionary. Whip-smart writing and an incredible ensemble cast made for a sure-fire hit. The diversity wasn’t too shabby either - an Asian-American, two Latinas, and a gay couple appealed to plenty of different audiences. Its first few seasons were iconic and will surely be called classics after its run is over. But, sadly, the last two seasons have produced somewhat subpar episodes. It’s no longer a revolutionary show - with much bolder and more ambitious shows like Orange is the New Black showing, Modern Family doesn’t deserve any more praise for its risks - which are quite tame nowadays. Modern Family is an excellent show; no doubt about it. But the showrunners need to know when to end it. It’s possible to have too much of a good thing, after all.
MOVIES
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 by Alisa Chau, edited by Aaryam Srivastava
PG-13 IMDb: ★★★★★★★★★ 7.2 / 10 65% Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth With the arena in shambles, Peeta under the spell of the Capitol and a growing body count, Katniss must rise and become Panem’s Mockingjay, a source of hope, strength and togetherness in the uprising against President Snow. The thrilling 1st part of the last book in “The Hunger Games” series…. Just a quick warning to action hungry fans who are considering Mocking jay as their weekly movie fix, prepare to be disappointed. Though I won’t complain, the abundance of shaky cam in the last two films made me too dizzy anyways. Honestly though, who am I kidding, unless you live under a rock (or underground in District 13, how funny) you will watch the film regardless of the action. With the abolishment of the games, the narrative shifts the spotlight more on the politics involved in the war. The film depicts a chase of cat and mouse between President Snow (the bloodthirsty antagonist) and Katniss (the protagonist that everyone loves), where grisly arrows are replaced with thorny roses and blood is replaced with betrayal. At times it feels as though there are too many things going on simultaneously, as if the filmmakers are trying to squeeze all the details they can into the film in order to maintain the need to split the last installment of “The Hunger Games” into two (what a way to make money, guys!). They deliberately had to cut off the story midway that gave the ending a less “rounded”, incomplete feeling. Incomplete in the sense that the tension didn’t keep the audience on tenterhooks, but obviously since the ending wasn’t resolved, we will still aimlessly wait for the final film in order to be satisfied. Ideally, I would have liked to watch both Part 1 and Part 2 back to back or just have 1 film for Mocking jay, as I really don’t understand the new unwritten rule of halving the last book.
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Showing in most theatres in HK
CELEBRITY
BREAKING NEWS: FEMALE WEARS MAKE-UP AND CLOTHES. by Bonnie Qu
Recently, the world was shocked when a woman came out of a gym wearing clothes and make-up. (A source tells us that “it wasn’t just that - her hair was perfect, too!”) This publication also feels the need to comment on this highly controversial issue. Taylor Swift - one of the biggest names in the music industry - is victim to plenty of rumors and media exposure. Or, well, not victim - after all, she probably loves all the attention. Who couldn’t love being photographed on every street corner as soon as they showed their face in daylight? Nobody. That’s who. Anyway, moving on: Swift emerged from a workout at the gym a few days ago looking like she’d just come out of a spa. This publication is appalled at her behavior - how dare she care about what she looks like after doing exercise? Why doesn’t she behave like a regular human being? It’s not as though people will write angry articles about how terrible she looks if she doesn’t spent hours in make-up. Clearly, nobody actually cares about her looks - except for her, of course. She is just so shallow and materialistic. Obviously, being in the public spotlight for just shy of ten years has made her unbearably vain. Whatever happened to that sweet young country singer? All the hatred and accusations directed at her shouldn’t bother her this much; she’s famous, for God’s sake! She could have anything she wanted. But she’s not supposed to have actual emotions. That’s just strange. That isn’t how the world works.
MUSIC
Lorde by Tara Tang
Our favorite IB dropout Lorde recently curated the soundtrack to the highly anticipated ‘The Hunger Games: Mocking jay Part 1’. Having promised us that the soundtrack would feature her as the leading single - as well as other artists on the album who would ‘surprise’ us - she certainly didn’t disappoint. Even though most of these songs were never played in the actual film except for Yellow Flicker Beat as the first song in the credits – let us pretend in a world where they did put the songs in the film (that is what the motion picture score is for). SONGS THAT YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT: FLICKER (KANYE WEST REWORK): A stripped down instrumental from the Louis Vuitton Don himself. This rework is how I am going to be basing West’s change in direction for his musical projects, very subtle yet dark production. I totally see this rolling at the credits of the second movie while everyone sits astounded in their cinema seats. LADDER SONG: A cover of a Bright Eyes song by Lorde, this song is complete with depressing organ synths and her iconic voice, cemented by her delivery of an eerie and melancholic rendition to an already depressing song. This would totally fit in a movie scene where Jennifer Lawrence vapidly stares into the camera thinking about her bae Peeta. This soundtrack was a solid effort from Lorde as I think all the songs were able to compliment the film in an approachable light. The appearance of artists ranging from new starlets like Ariana Grande to industry legends like Grace Jones means that her creation will definitely appeal to a wide audience.
HK$105
HK$73
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YOUTUBE
Reviews of October—November by Paco Wong, edited by Kessandra Ng
1. Video Game High School Series This series of videos features characters going to a video game school, exclusively for gamers. Main characters present in this series are an FPS game and his girlfriend, a racing gamer and a video game nerd. Also featuring other famous YouTubers, including Freddie Wong and Harley Morenstein, I believe it’s an extremely entertaining and intense series, mainly because the episodes usually end with a cliffhanger, building up tension and excitement for the next episode. They are adventures in the video game, such as playing Field of Fire or Overdrift as well, and I think that each episode is even better than the one before! http://www.youtube.com/show/videogamehighschoolvghs 2. Girl Beats Army Soldier in Push-up Contest This viral video was filmed in the U.S. Army Base, where a little girl challenged one of the army soldiers to a push-up contest. Surprisingly, she actually beat him in during the competition, thus causing this video has over a 1.8million views on YouTube. In my opinion, it sends a message to women around the world, stating that women can still be stronger than the men even though most people portray women as frail and weak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyE8YHZ2u6o 3. iPhone 6 Plus Bend Test This trending video has caused many people to try to bend their iPhone 6, then uploading the result onto Youtube and all over the Internet. No one knows how this “trend” started but now, people having some doubt about whether they should buy an iPhone 6 Plus after seeing that the screen easily breaks. It has over 55,000,000 views on YouTube and is by far the most popular video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znK652H6yQM
FOODIE
“LOCO-LICIOUSLY” GOOD! by Mia Hannah So
Address: G/F, 7 Staunton St., SoHo, Central
Rating: ★★★★★ 4/5
El Taco Loco’s extremely clean and bright exterior, as well as it’s cozy interior, draws you in with the snap of your fingers. When my sister first told me about El Taco Loco in her “OMG you have to try it!” voice, I was quite intrigued yet reluctant since she has a very different taste. But when she brought me to eat at this small Mexican restaurant in Central, I was immediately impressed. Out of all the three times that I’ve visited; I would be aggravated to leave. Although small in size, this restaurant is the perfect place to hang out with a small group of mates after a boring day of school- or if you’re just looking for one of the best Mexican restaurants in Hong Kong- with its quiet and friendly environment, you’re bound to come back again. This restaurant is not only a good place to catch up with friends; it’s even an environment where you can meet new people as well. Even though the seats are very limited, it’s rare to see this restaurant crowded. The staff here will greet you with smiles as well as friendly and casual chats. If you ever need anything, they’ll be there in an instant. When I first looked at the menu, I was quite shocked. You’d expect their food to seem like they’d cost a fortune with their brilliant reviews but instead, everything on the menu is affordable and reasonable. Absolutely. No. Rip-offs! The first time I came here, I tried out their most recommended (now my favorite) dishes here which include the stunning: “Seven Layered Nachos” and their “Quesadillas”. Although it takes a little while to wait, it’s guaranteed that their food is cooked to perfection, leaving no incidents for burnt food or anything other issues. The food here has a distinct taste to it that makes you want to take another bite almost instantly; even when there is so much for just one person to finish, sharing is not an option in your mind! If you don’t like a particular aspect to the dish, like I did when I said I hated tomatoes, eating everything on that plate makes you forget about your negativity because the ingredients blend in so well together to create that overflowing and luscious sensation in your mouth. My sister was actually very surprised when I ate those tomatoes like I loved them to death! El Taco Loco is definitely not your average Mexican restaurant, with affordable prices, good service and a pleasant atmosphere– not to mention the incredible food! You won’t even have to think another second to know where you should go for a dinner out with your friends! Also, you will definitely not need to worry about asking your parents for a crazy load of money, but if they do doubt your excellent food taste, just take them there and prove them wrong! This is one of those places that deserve much more attention and many more venues! How they can make their food this great? I have no idea!!!
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BOOK
Liar and Spy by Simran Rungta
The book Liar & Spy follows the story of a boy named Georges. When he moves to a new Brooklyn Apartment, he meets Safer, a self appointed spy. Who is this Mr X? What’s the truth behind the lies? Liar & Spy has been recommended by many teachers and students alike. It’s also the winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Liar & Spy is written in the perspective of a average middle school kid, to whom we can relate. I think it would really appeal to most people, particularly those aged 11- 15, mostly because of the storytelling from the main character’s perspective, but also because it’s neither very difficult to read nor too long. In short, I think it’s quite an enjoyable book, with plenty of surprises. Here’s a primer: I can guarantee that not everything in the book is what it seems.
APPS
Educational Games
by Ronek Bijur and Justin Cai, edited by Kessandra Ng Minecraft, Edu The popular sandbox game has now gone educational! With Minecraft Edu, teachers can provide a fun yet educational experience for students. In this app, teachers are able to give students different tasks, and students can use a variety of blocks to build the required item and complete the task. In my opinion, students would find this app very useful, especially helping them with their Geography or History, as the teachers can build what they are trying to teach - visual aids. To find out more information, visit: http://minecraftedu.com Kerbal Space Program A great simulation game with accurate physics models, Kerbal Space Program (K.S.P) is an educational app to teach students physics in relation to space. Students can learn about orbital mechanics, how to build rockets with asparagus staging and how to sent a space station into orbit. K.S.P is, however, one of the lesser known games so students will have an exceptionally entertaining time trying out something new. To find out more information, visit: http://www.kerbaledu.com or https://kerbalspaceprogram.com The Powder Toy A highly accurate physics simulation, it is an app that simulates the effect of different elements when put together. Many real life elements, e.g. iron, wood and coal, are represented in the game, and with over 50 elements, I believe that this game can be used to teach students about the reactions between elements, or be used for leisure purposes. To find out more, visit: https://powdertoy.co.uk
COMIC by Marion Hanson
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paw prints KGV’s STUDENT NEWSPAPER
I S SU E 7
•
DE C E M BE R 2 01 4
Credits: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bonnie Qu
HEAD OF DESIGN Alexander Li
WRITERS Sanil Chandiramani Alisa Chau Hayley Chow Heet Dani Christianna Fung Elly Hung
Laura Just Fung Jon Lau Anson Ma Kessandra Ng Bonnie Qu Rubaiyat Quader
Simran Rungta Mia Hannah So Tara Tang Abhay Venkitaraman Paco Wong
Ji Yun Lee Anson Ma Kessandra Ng
Bonnie Qu Aaryam Srivastava
EDITORS Stanley Cheung Jon Lau Alexander Li
DESIGNERS Ji Yun Lee
Alexander Li
SPECIAL THANKS Supervisor – Ms C Payne Photography – Ms A Carlile Photography – The Lion Photography Team
Paw Prints • King George V School All rights reserved