Practical English Writing: An EFL Composition Course Assignment #3: Describing a Person

Valen Hsu - A Popular Taiwanese Singer

by Reanne Sun

- ORIGINAL VERSION -

Ru-Yun Hsu is the most famous female vocalist in Taiwan. She was born in Taipei in 1974. Her father is a music teacher who teaches at Ho-Ming Junior High School and her mother is a housewife. Both of her parents like music, so she grew up in a good musical environment. She started to like music when young. At that time, she learned the piano very well and more earnest than her parents’ expected. She had also joined many musical competitions and carried off many prizes.

Before Ru-Yun Hsu graduated from junior high school, she did not know which school she should enter. Her music teacher knew she was good at singing, so she encouraged her to enter a conservatory to study music. So Ru-Yun Hsu entered the Huo-Guang Conservatory, which is near Taipei Train Station. During that period, Ru-Yun Hsu began singing many ballads at restaurants. She had earned much money at that time. She had also joined many singing competitions, but she never won top place. So she was still unknown until one day an assistant who worked for a record company discovered her. Then she got the chance to issue her first record in 1995. However, the record did not sell well because of commercial considerations. In 1996, her second record named "Sea of Tears" was released. Fortunately, the songs in this record were based on three very popular serials and the record sold more than one million copies. Ru-Yun Hsu become a very famous female vocalist in Taiwan in a short time.

Ru-Yun Hsu is known for her special singing tone. She is not beautiful, but her songs can touch many people who have been deserted by their lovers. Her voice tone is so unique that people call it a "cloud tone". She has issued five records so far and all of them have sold well. She now lives in Taipei and is preparing her newest record. Ru-Yun Hsu is a very successful female singer.

Reference:
http://www.hello.com.tw/~chen23/ [DEAD LINK]

- QUESTIONS TO EXPLORE -

  1. Is this person the most famous vocalist in Taiwan – or perhaps one of the most famous vocalists?

  2. How important is it to mention Ho-Ming Junior High School? Is there anything special about that school that deserves mentioning?

  3. When the author writes "she started music at four" what does that mean? Playing the piano? Listening to music? Studying music theory?

  4. Is the Huo-Guang Conservatory especially famous? (If not, why mention the name? If so, explain that it is one of Taiwan's best musical conservatories.)

  5. What languages does this person sing in? Has she given concerts outside of Taiwan? Is her following limited to Taiwan?

  6. What about her private life? What does she like to do in her free time? Does she have any special friends?

  7. How should Internet references be cited?

- SUGGESTED REVISION -

Valen Hsu (許茹芸), also known as Xu Ru-yun and Hsu Hong Hsiu, is one of the most famous female vocalists in Taiwan. Born in Taipei in 1974, her father was a junior high school music teacher and mother a housewife. Both her parents were fond of music, so she grew up in a rich musical environment. She started singing at an early age and demonstrated more talent for the piano than expected. As a child, she joined many musical competitions and carried off many prizes.

Aware of her talent, her junior high school music teacher encouraged her to enter a music conservatory in Taiwan. During this period, she earned money by singing at many restaurants. Although she joined many song competitions, she never quite won top place.

Until an assistant at a Taipei record company discovered her in 1995, Valen Hsu was an unknown figure in Taiwan's musical landscape. Though her first album did not sell well, her 1996 Sea of Tears was a smashing success since three of its songs were based on popular TV programs. Over one million copies of her second album sold and today Valen Hsu has become one of the most famous female vocalists in Taiwan.

Valen Hsu is especially well known for her unique vocal tone. Her voice has the ability to uplift many people who have been jilted by their lovers. Her vocal tone is so unique that it is sometimes referred to it as a "cloud tone".

Valen Hsu has issued seventeen records to date. All but the first have sold well. She has also written six books and has appeared in two movies. Now married to Jae-sung Choi and doing many volunteer activies, she is busy preparing for her next album.

Reference:

Bāng, P. (n.d.). 獨琇 - 許茹芸後援會 [JUST FOR VALEN]. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://justforvalen.pixnet.net/blog

Famous Birthdays. (2022). Valen Hsu. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://allfamousbirthday.com/valen-hsu/

Internet Movie Database. (n.d.) Valen Hsu. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2182608/bio

Wikipedia Contributors. (2021, March 9). 許茹芸 [Valen Hsu]. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/許茹芸


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Updated 1 April 2022