2004 Matching 2004 UE Section C

Matching 2004 Should male HK villagers keep their traditional right to build a house after they turn 18? Should they keep this right even after they move away from their village? Should the rights of villagers be taken away if the government believes it’s for the greater good of HK?

65. On Monday the Secretary for Housing revealed that there were more than 240,000 villagers eligible for the right to build a house. F. The reason for this is that we cannot satisfy all 240,000 people, so we might as well draw the line now with a firm “no more”. What is “this”? It must be a negative idea since we should say “no more”. There are no negative ideas in F. L. I would be careful about referring to them as “villagers” as he did. Only a handful still live in their villages. The rest will never go back. He = Secretary for Housing The writer feels that since they won’t go back, they shouldn’t be called “villagers” and be able to build houses. L = Correct

66. The buildings are in a style once referred to as “Spanish villa”. B. There, the inhabitants are still predominantly Chinese, though many of these outlying places have become expatriate ghettoes. B seems to describe neighbourhoods rather than particular buildings. E. They are finished in shiny bathroom tiles, heavily tinted windows and chrome fittings. They = buildings E gives a description of these Spanish villas. E = Correct.

67. An enormous excess of potential housing has been created which will be subject to very little environmental regulation. This, of course, is a big problem. C. Put this figure into perspective. At a rough guess, the total housing stock of Hong Kong is not much more than 800 million sq ft. “This figure” implies that an actual number was given in column A. I. And how are we going to deal with it? Well the policy is under review and the Secretary for Housing says he will resolve it within 5 years. I explains how to “deal with” and “resolve” the “problem” in 67. I = Correct

68. The original village housing is awaiting redevelopment into three-storey blocks that can serve as housing for six families, as they do on Cheung Chau, for example. A. There, the inhabitants are still predominantly Chinese, though many of these outlying places have become expatriate ghettoes. Cheung Chau = outlying place This is a description of the people who live in these places. J. However, you comfort yourself that there has to be a limit to this expansion soon. Not so. 68 does not sound negative enough to be a good match for J. A. = Correct.

69. Take 240,000 times 2,100 sq ft and you get 504 million sq ft of entitled floor space. A. There, the inhabitants are still predominantly Chinese, though many of these outlying places have become expatriate ghettoes. “There” implies that column A mentioned a specific place. C. Put this figure into perspective. At a rough guess, the total housing stock of Hong Kong is not much more than 800 million sq ft. This figure = 504 million We’re comparing the total housing stock of HK with the amount of floor space villagers are entitled to. C. = Correct

70. When it comes to the issue of building rights officials are still reluctant to tackle the Heung Yee Kuk organisation. H. An example is the recent construction of a water line for a few people in Sai Kung. The entitled “villagers” have been given this privilege and we must all pay up. There is an idea of conflict that is common to both 70 and H. However, H seems to be more about the injustice towards taxpayers. K. The village housing policy has always been a taboo for the Government. “Officials” work for the “Government”. They are “reluctant” because it is “taboo”. K = correct

71. You may regret that once charming villages have been turned into an unplanned rural eyesore now spreading well past village boundaries. J. However, you comfort yourself that there has to be a limit to this expansion soon. Not so. If you “regret” something, you may want to “comfort yourself” Spreading = expansion K. The village housing policy has always been a taboo for the Government. The main idea of “K” is that the policy is taboo for the gvt. 71 has no connection to this idea of the gvt. not wanting to discuss the policy. J = Correct.

72. The Heung Yee Kuk organisation wants height and size restrictions on the buildings lifted. D. Instead of 3-storey buildings restricted to 2,100 sq ft, we will get 40- storey tower blocks scattered all over country parks if this organisation gets its way, as it usually does. 40-storey buildings can only be built if height restrictions are lifted. Heung Yee Kuk = “this organisation E. They are finished in shiny bathroom tiles, heavily tinted windows and chrome fittings. “They” could refer to “the buildings”. The main point of 72 is the height restrictions, but this idea is lost in E. D. = Correct.

73. People who return to their home villages for a visit can readily build a house and try to rent it. B. There is no big strain on them if they cannot immediately find tenants. There are no land costs and this is cheaply build housing. You “rent” a house to a “tenant”. G. However, almost all of these men have long since left their villages, and their homes are overseas. “G” says that many men have left their villages and 73 tells us that they can build houses if they return. “However” introduces a contrasting ideas. B. = correct

74. Every indigenous male over 18 has a traditional right in his village to build a home for himself of up to 2,100 sq ft. G. However, almost all of these men have long since left their villages, and their homes are overseas. The right to build and the fact that they live overseas are contrasting ideas connected by “However”. Men = male L. I would be careful about referring to them as “villagers” as he did. Only a handful still live in their villages. The rest will never go back. Who is “he”? G. = Correct

75. There can be only one solution: we have to withdraw the villagers’ right to build. F. The reason for this is that we cannot satisfy all 240,000 eligible people, so we might as well draw the line now with a firm “no more”. “No more” = no more building The “reason” this is the only “solution” is that we “cannot satisfy” all the people. I. And how are we going to deal with it? Well the policy is under review and the Secretary for Housing says he will resolve it within 5 years. You don’t “deal with” a solution, you “implement” a solution. 75 is just the writer’s opinion, but “I” is talking about a policy. F. = Correct

76. We face a massive bill to provide the services and roadways for all this remote housing. B. There is no big strain on them if they cannot immediately find tenants. There are no land costs and this is cheaply build housing. 76 refers to “We” but B. refers to “them”. The reference to “tenants” seems to be out of place. H. An example is the recent construction of a water line for a few people in Sai Kung. The entitled “villagers” have been given this privilege and we must all pay up. Water line = services We need to “pay up” for this “massive bill”. H. = Correct