"Studies of one or more literary work(s) originally written in the language in which the EE is presented."

So, works written in English for a Cat. 1 English EE, and works written in Chinese for a Cat. 1 Chinese EE. This is the straightforward Language & Literature option, most similar to a traditional English/Chinese essay on a work of literature.

Now we get to have some fun.

"Studies of a literary work (or works) originally written in the language of the essay compared with one or more work originally written in another language. (The work originally written in another language may be studied in translation.)"

At its core, this is a comparison essay, but you're not just comparing any two works, but at least two works that were originally in different languages (e.g. John Milton's Samson Agonistes (English) and Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus (Greek.) You do not need to speak the second language, so you can study a work that has been translated into either English or Chinese, depending on whether you're doing an English or Chinese essay.

This is a tricky EE, and it's worth thinking carefully before deciding. If you are well-read and really want to dig into challenging literature, this may be a good option. There is a chance that you'll need to read something entirely unfamiliar, though.

This is commonly referred to as the "language" option.

"Studies in language based in one or more texts originally produced in the language in which the EE is presented."

If you want to look at speeches, rhetoric, and things like that, this is your category.

Students may NOT select a work that they have studied in class. This applies to both Chinese and English, as well as works that you have read in translation (e.g. if you read a translated version of George Orwell's Animal Farm in Chinese class, you still cannot use the English version of Animal Farm as the basis for an English A or B essay.) We will be checking with your English and Chinese teachers to ensure that the works you select meet this requirement.

You MAY choose a work (or works) that you have read before on your own, but not one from class.