Universidad Del Valle

Business English II
Midterm
Prof. Jorge Herrera
Name: Daniel Felipe Ruiz Zúñiga Code: 1724275.

Despite economy boom Hong Kong residents live in poverty

Hong Kong is one of the wealthiest places in Asia. The economy of the former British
colony is booming, largely because of China’s economic rise. But still, there are over a
million who live in poverty in Hong Kong. The gap between rich and poor is becoming
bigger.

Not only Hong Kong’s poorest are suffering. Middle class citizens are frustrated because,
even though they have good jobs, they can barely make ends meet. Housing prices are
going through the roof; food is becoming more and more expensive.

Real estate prices in Hong Kong are skyrocketing, rising up to 20% a year. Many rich
people from communist China are coming to Hong Kong and buying up property in the
former colony. They can even buy themselves a citizenship if they bring at least 10 million
Hong Kong dollars into the city.

While many upper-class citizens live in luxurious apartment buildings there are a hundred
thousand people in Hong Kong who don’t have enough space to live. Some of them live in
cages or containers only a few feet wide.

Despite this, the economy of the new Chinese province could not be better.
Unemployment is at a low rate; the stock market is booming and the government has
enough money to give $6,000 to every Hong Kong citizen.

This will not help the average middle- and lower-class resident. Inflation is increasing, due
to rising food prices and education costs. At 5% it is at its highest rate since the beginning
of the century. The Hong Kong dollar is linked to the US dollar and has lost value over the
past years. Hong Kong’s imports have become more expensive, especially oil and food.

Criticism of the government is commonplace. Many suggest that instead of giving citizens
money it would be better to spend it on creating new homes and houses. Hong Kong will
need more room for its population. Thousands of people from mainland China are moving
to Hong Kong to reunite with their families, who fled Communism many years ago.
1. In the text given above look for five derived word and complete the chart below. (1.0)
Word Affix Grammatical Spanish Equivalent
Function
1. Housing Ing Noun Alojamiento
2. frustrated Ed Adjetive Frustado/a
3. hundred Ed Noun Centenar
4. Only Ly Adverb Solo/a
5. suggest Est Verb Sugerir

2. What do these words refer to? The line is in parenthesis. (1.0)

Referent Refers to
1. They (5) Hace referencia a que los ciudadanos apenas pueden llegar a fin
de mes por los altos precios de la vivienda y la comida.
2. They (8) Hace referencia a que los ricos de la china, pueden comprarse la
ciudadania de Hong Kong si traen con ellos al menos 10 millones
de dolares.
3. Them (10) Hace referencia a que algunas personas en Hong Kong viven en
jaulas o contenedores de solo unos pocos pies de ancho.
4. This (15) Hace referencia a que a pesar de que el gobierno pueda dar
$6.000 a cada ciudadano esto no ayudara a los residents
promedio de clases media y baja.
5. it (20) Hace referencia a que muchos sugieren que el dinero qeu se les
da a los ciudadanos seria major gastarlo en la creación de nuevos
hogares y casas.

3. Complete the table below with connectors from the text. Write the function and
meaning (1.0)

Connector Function Meaning

1. But Contrast Pero
2. Due to Cause Debido a
3. While Time Cuando, Mientras
4. For Time Durante
5. Since Time Desde
4. Put the adjectives in order (1.0)

a)  a (rectangular, cream, modern) 1.Rectangular, 2.Cream, 3.Modern bathroom.

b)  (silken, pretty, long) 1.Pretty, 2.Long, 3.Silken hair.
c)  a (dreadful, pink, old) 1.Dreadful, 2.Pink, 3.Old raincoat.
d)  a (processing, new, central, tiny) 1.Tiny, 2.Central, 3.New, 4.Processing unit.
e)  a (tired, local, camera) 1.Tired, 2,Local, 3.Camera crew.

5. Complete the sentences with the superlative or comparative adjective in parenthesis

(1.0)

1 We´ve got biggest (big) problems to worry about

2 Which is highest (high) mountains in the world?
3 Is it much coldest (cold) in New York?
4 Those were happiest (happy) days of my childhood
5 You´re luckiest (lucky) person in the world