DESCRIBING people and family
Examples
Example 1
I’d like to describe one of my friends. He's a hard worker, like most people in Hong Kong, quite ambitious I guess, training himself to not only have the good job he already has but also to make money on the markets, so quite a Hong Kong style person. But he also has that alternative side to him; he's into alternative therapies and things like that, into a degree of good health making up for a bit of wild living in the past because he's getting on, late 30s I think. He's well built, you could say fat but only if you're being unkind ... a strong guy, a bit athletic looking as well I think, good mass of blond hair, very sexy wife; good friend of mine.
Example 2
I'm going to describe my nephew Joel. I have 2 nephews but I know Joel the best because he was older when I left England. He's 11 years old now and he's at secondary school. He doesn't seem to be an adolescent yet, but I'm sure it's very imminent. He's a monkey; I mean his Chinese horoscope sign, and his western one is Aries, the ram, the male sheep. You know he's quite a wild creature and he can climb brilliantly. He's been to stay with me in Hong Kong on his own and he’s very independent; he’s very popular with everybody; he made lots of friends and is really good company, but I have a feeling that when he gets to be a teenager, he might be trouble.
Example 3
I'm going to describe a friend of mine; an Italian-American 34 years old. He used to play a lot of volleyball, lots of basketball, very athletic. We were roommates for about 4 years which was great because basically he had a love of Italian food and so do I. We ate a lot of Italian takeaway from his mother’s place. Joey now still lives in Canada and is married with a wife and kid so he's having a great time out there. We're still in touch today; we keep in touch daily by email.
Example 4
Well, I come from a very musical family. My grandpa was an opera singer. My father is a composer. My mum studied in music appreciation. And, since I’m the only daughter, of course I was forced into music. I had to play piano since a very young age, and during holidays we would always put on a concert and everybody would have a good time.
Example 5
My family. Well, I think have I quite a large family by Hong Kong standards. I have two brothers and a sister and, I’m the youngest. The eldest brother is now a fireman. I think he’s very brave; he also spends a lot of time playing basketball. My sister is the second oldest; she’s a nurse and is in a paediatric ward. After being with so many babies, now she says she doesn’t want her own family. My other brother is still a student. He’s in HKUST studying computer science; he’s a typical student, playing computer games all day and all night long. My father works as an accountant for a big retail chain, while mum is a part-time teacher of classical dance. I’m actually the only one living at home now. Eldest brother and my sister have their own places, while my other brother lives in halls. The home feels a little bit empty without them.