The English Channel (July 2021)

Issue 22.10 July 2021

HK $39

Life in the City Smart Floating Farms World Wonders Voyager Station: the First Hotel in Space World Festival Running of the Bulls

CONTENTS 06

03 01 Feature

15 Food for Thought

03 Life in the City

18 Great Innovations

06 World Wonders

21 Easily Confused Words

African Elephants at Tipping Point

Smart Floating Farms

How Bad is Soda for You?

Reon Pocket 2 Portable AC

Voyager Station: the First Hotel in Space

communication vs. communications

09 World Festivals

22 Common Errors

11 What’s in the News

23 Word Games

13 Things Around Us

25 Quiz Page

Running of the Bulls

Vlogging Essential Gear

People who lack of confidence can hardly succeed.

Famous Proverbs

History of Public Transport in Hong Kong

15 18 01

09 27 Brainteaser AGE ORDER

28 Answer Page

Editorial Director

Joe Leung

Contributors David Ian Thomas

Eamon Barrett Ashleigh Dean

Bob McNab

Michelle Leung

Alison Fung

Chris Cheong

Margaret Chang

Art Director Eloy Ng Photographer Lam Ching Ching Printer

Charter Craft Holdings Ltd.

Contact Details

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PO Box 34810,

King’s Road Post Office,

Hong Kong Tel

(852) 2330 1512

Fax

2312 7688

Email

info@englishchannel.com.hk

Website

www.englishchannel.com.hk

Publisher

Channel I Publications Ltd.

Feature

African Elephants at Tipping Point 1. African elephants have existed for over 50 million years, living in the tropical forests, woodlands and savannahs of the (10) _____________.

However, this majestic species could now be on the (11) _____________ of extinction. Sadly, wildlife experts have issued serious warnings that African elephants may not survive another decade.

2. Poaching and habitat loss caused by human encroachment have led to a steep (12) _____________ in the number of African elephants in recent decades. The African forest elephant is now listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, while the African savanna elephant is Endangered. This is the first time the two species have been assessed separately for the IUCN Red List. “African elephants play a key role in ecosystems. Our latest IUCN Red List assessments of the two African elephant species underline the persistent (13) _____________ faced by these iconic animals,” said Dr Bruno Oberle, Director General of IUCN. 3. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), no fewer than 20,000 African elephants are illegally killed for their tusks each year. The forest elephant population has fallen by more than 86 per cent over the last 30 years and savanna elephant population by at least 60 per cent over the last 50 years.

4. In 1989, the member states of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) agreed to ban the international trade in ivory. However, more than 30 years later, elephant poaching is still widespread. Elephants are now being slaughtered faster than ever, with poachers using advanced hunting methods and lethal weapons. It has been reported that 01

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some poachers use helicopters to trace the animals, before butchering them with powerful firearms.

5. These poachers are driven by greed: they go to such lengths to hunt elephants because it is a very lucrative (14) _____________. During the past decade, there has been a resurgence in the demand for ivory, which is extremely profitable on the black market in Asia, particularly in China. In a (15) _____________ conducted by the National Geographic Channel, 84 per cent of Chinese middle-class respondents admitted that they had a penchant for ivory products.

6. Many governments are taking action to address this crisis. A near-total ban on commercial trade in African elephant ivory has gone into (16) _____________ in the USA, with the UK and many Asian countries following (17) _____________. China has also enacted a ban on ivory imports and outlawed its domestic ivory trade.

7. Following the introduction of successful conservation measures by wildlife organizations and governments, the population of forest elephants has rebounded in Gabon and the Republic of Congo.

Savanna elephant numbers have become stable in the Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, which covers 23 national parks in southern Africa.

8. If the world’s largest land animals are to be saved from extinction, their habitats must be conserved and all poaching ended. Legislation, anti-poaching measures, and land use planning designed to foster human-wildlife coexistence are the keys to successful elephant conservation. If nothing is done, we may be the last generation to see elephants in the wild. It is disgraceful if any species becomes extinct because of human profiteering.

Answer the following questions using information from the text.

Based on the article, decide whether the following statements are True, False or the information is Not Given.

True

1. Wildlife experts warn that African elephants may become extinct by 2031.

False

Not Given

2. The African forest elephant and the African savannah elephant used to be assessed separately for the IUCN Red List.

3. The African savannah elephant is more critically endangered than the African forest elephant.

4. It is legal to kill elephants in some African countries.

5. African elephants are hunted for their hide, meat, and tusks.

6. The international ivory ban of 1989 has been effective in reducing elephant poaching.

7. Poachers use explosives and grenades to kill the African elephants.

8. 84 per cent of Chinese people have a penchant for ivory products.

9. At present, it is illegal to sell ivory products in China.

Words are missing from Paragraph 1, 2, 5 and 6. From the 16 words (A - P) below, choose the ones that best complete the blanks (10 - 17) in the text. Each word can be used ONCE only.

18. Find a word in the article that has a similar meaning to each of

the following:

a. intrusion _____________ (Paragraph 2)

b. constant _____________ (Paragraph 2)

c. deadly

10. ___________

11. ___________

12. ___________

13. ___________

d. profitable _____________ (Paragraph 5)

14. ___________

15. ___________

e. fondness _____________ (Paragraph 5)

16. ___________

17. ___________

f. promote _____________ (Paragraph 8)

A. verge

B. poll

C. continent

K. force

D. suit

L. state

E. effect

F. distress

I. world

J. contract

M. threat

_____________ (Paragraph 4)

19. Based on the information in Paragraph 8, complete the summary by writing ONE word to fill in each blank.

African elephants are the most (19a) _____________ land animals in the world. To save these creatures from extinction, we must (19b) _____________ their natural habitats and (19c) _____________ poaching. It is also necessary to have good

N. decline

land use planning so that humans can (19d) _____________

G. business

O. advice

peacefully with the elephants. It is a (19e) _____________ that

H. deterioration

P . investigation

African elephants become extinct owing to human profiteering.

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02

Life in the City

Smart Floating Farms M

any demographers (人口統計學家) forecast

that global population will grow to

around 9 billion by 2046. The proportion of the population living in cities is predicted to be 70 per cent, a large increase from today’s 55 per cent. Huge amounts of food will be needed to feed the fast-growing urban population. Demand for food in cities is expected to rise by over 50 per cent by 2046.

Most of the food consumed in cities must be transported from distant rural areas or imported from foreign countries. Both options involve high transportation costs and increase the overall carbon footprint. To conserve energy and reduce pollution, it is important to decrease food miles, the distance that food is transported from its place of production to the final consumer.

A potential solution is the solarpowered floating farm system devised by a Barcelona-based company called Forward Thinking Architecture. Smart floating farms make food production possible in cities where land is scarce and expensive, bringing agriculture, fish farming, and even livestock rearing closer to urban consumers.

They

are

ideal

for

heavily

populated coastal cities, such as Hong Kong, Tokyo, Miami, Los Angeles, and Dubai.

03

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The smart floating farm concept conceived (構想) by Forward Thinking Architecture consists of three levels.

The bottom level (Level 0) is a fish farm, in which a various species of fish, and marine creatures like shrimps and crabs are bred. This level also features a fish egg hatchery, a slaughterhouse, and a desalination (海水淡 化)

plant to convert seawater into fresh water.

The middle level (Level 1) is a greenhouse in which fruit and vegetables are grown by hydroponics (水耕法).

The crops are not grown in soil but in mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent. This farming technique can reduce the use of water by up to 80 per cent. The crops receive sunlight from the skylight openings in the ceiling.

Photovoltaic (光電伏打) panels are installed on the rooftop to harness (利用) sunlight for generating electricity. There are also rainwater collectors to provide water for irrigating the crops grown on the middle level.

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04

Life in the City

Each smart floating farm module measures 350 metres long and 200 metres wide, about the size of 10 football fields. Individual modules can be connected to one another, to form a cluster of modules. The farming system is operated and monitored by hi-tech automated machines with software and applications that are kept on the cloud (雲端).

Smart floating farms are designed to achieve selfsufficiency (自給自足) and sustainability (可持續性).

Forward Thinking Architecture estimates that each farm can yield about 8 tons of vegetables and 1.7 tons of fish per year.

The world’s first floating farm opened in Rotterdam in the Netherlands on May 13, 2019. It currently produces fresh dairy products from 40 cows reared at the facility. “With increasing demand for healthy food, rapid urbanization, and climate change, we can’t rely on the food production systems of the past. If we can find a way to get dairy production off the ground in urban areas, we will be able to reduce both transport and pollution,” says Peter van Wingerden, initiator (創始人) of the farm.

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World Wonders

Voyager Station Out of this World: the First Hotel in Space

A

re you looking for an incredible vacation experience that is literally out of this world? You may not have to wait too long. The first commercial hotel in space, named Voyager Station, is scheduled to open in 2027.

Voyager Station is the brainchild (心血結晶) of The Gateway Foundation, which was established with the aim of developing a robust (強大的) and self-sustaining space construction industry. John Blincow, president of the foundation told the press, “We’re trying to make the public realize that this golden age of space travel is just around the corner. It’s coming. And it’s coming fast.”

Construction of the 50,000-square-metre hotel is due to begin in 2026, with the first guests arriving the following year. It will be built by Orbital Assembly Corporation, which describes itself as the world’s first large-scale space construction company. When completed, the space hotel will provide accommodation for 280 guests and 112 crew members.

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World Wonders Besides accommodating tourists who are eager to experience life on a luxury space station, Voyager Station also caters for industrial and commercial enterprises that intend to conduct research in space.

Artificial gravity is necessary for human habitation (居住) in space. Voyager Station is designed to create variable levels of simulated (模擬) gravity, which can be increased or decreased by the rate of rotation of the station.

Voyager Station is a rotating space station based around a central ring structure, which includes a docking hub with stabilizers designed to hold spacecraft in place while passengers and goods are loaded or unloaded. In the future, a second hub will be added so that two spacecraft can visit the station at the same time.

The central ring structure is connected to a huge outer ring by a system of spokes. The outer ring will support 24 habitation modules that are connected by access tubes within the outer ring.

Voyager Station offers two major types of accommodation. The 500-square-metre luxury villas, which can house up to 16 people, can be rented for a week or a month. These villas can also be purchased as vacation homes. The 30-square-metre suites, which can house up to 2 people, can be rented for three days or a month.

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The high-end (高檔的) restaurant in the hotel will serve a variety of classic space foods, including freeze dried ice cream. The triple-tier sky bar offers an ideal place for guests to relax, socialize and enjoy the magnificent views of interstellar space (星際空間). Guests can also visit the Gymnasium and Activity module, where they can work out and play sports in a low-gravity environment.

To most people, a holiday in space is a pipe dream (幻想). However, Orbital Assembly Corporation is determined to make it a reality. According to senior design architect Tim Alatorre, the ultimate (最終的) goal is to make visiting space accessible to as many people as possible.

“Most people assume that space tourism will only be available to the super-rich.

But we hope that going to space will eventually be just another option people choose for their vacation, like going on a cruise,” remarked Alatorre.

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08

World Festival

Running of the Bulls P

amplona is the capital city of Navarre, a province of northern Spain. As in most Spanish cities, everyone

usually dines very late at night and no one would expect the streets to be packed with people early in the morning. However, this is what happens every year from 6 to 14 July, as hundreds of people take part in Running of the Bulls.

Running of the Bulls is a race between people and bulls through the narrow cobblestoned alleys (小巷) of a sectioned-off part of Pamplona. The event really gets the adrenaline (腎上腺素) going. It requires remarkable courage for the participants to run with fierce bulls weighing over 900 kilograms. Thousands of spectators watch the extraordinary spectacle (壯觀的場面) in a state of exhilaration (興奮).

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Running of the Bulls is one of the most popular events of the annual nineday Festival of San Fermin, a traditional festival to honour Saint Fermin, the patron saint (守護神) of Pamplona. It always starts with an impressive prelude (前奏). Prior to the run, participants chant (有節奏 地喊叫) in front of a statue

of San Fermin, which is placed in a small recess (凹處) on a wall of Cuesta de Santo Domingo. This tradition dates back to 1962 and the chants are made to ask for blessings from the saint.

The race starts at 8 a.m., when a firecracker signals the release of ten to twelve bulls from the corral (畜欄). The run spans a distance of 825 metres and ends in Plaza de Toros de Pamplona, the bullring (鬥牛 場)

in Pamplona.

Inevitably, running with aggressive and robust (強壯的) bulls at your heels is highly dangerous. Many people are injured in the run each year. Since 1910, 15 people have died after being gored (戳傷) or trampled (踐踏) by bulls. This hair-raising (驚險的) event is clearly not suitable for everyone. Officially, participation is limited to those aged 18 or over.

Since the 1920s, Running of the Bulls has been a hugely popular event, with thousands of people from all over the world flocking to Pamplona to experience the thrills and spills of the chase every year. The Pamplona event is the most famous, but similar bull running events are held in many parts of Spain, and also in Portugal and Mexico.

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What’s in the News

What’s in THE

ENGLISH

CHANNEL

COVID-19 restrictions scrapped in the Netherlands Face masks are no longer required in most parts of the Netherlands after a plunge in COVID-19 cases. Moreover, most limits on 1. The word “scrap” means … group size have also been lifted, as long as A. to revise people can keep at least 1.5 metres apart.

No new limits will be set on the number of guests allowed in shops, bars, and restaurants. However, people will still need to wear face masks on public transport, where distancing is not possible.

B. to cancel C. to loosen D. to enforce

Cruise customers affected by data breach Cruise giant Carnival Corp. has revealed that a data breach in March might have exposed personal information about customers and employees on Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.

The company declined to say how many people’s information was exposed, but said that some outsiders might have gained access to passport numbers, dates of birth, addresses, and health information.

2. The word “breach” means …

A. violation B. protection C. publication D. misinformation

Number of displaced people hits record high According to the United Nations, a record 82.4 million people were displaced worldwide in 2020 owing to conflicts, persecutions and other causes. The figure is up 2.9 million from a year earlier.

The conflict in Syria resulted in the most homeless refugees, at about 6.7 million. About 4 million people fled Venezuela because of political turmoil, and about 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar to Bangladesh.

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3. The word “displaced” means …

A. exiled to a foreign country B. forced to leave one’s home C. imprisoned in refugee camps D. dislodged from one’s position

the NEWS? •

July

2021

Optical illusion of orangutan wins award

A mind-bending photograph of an orangutan beat 8,000 entries from around the world to win first prize in the Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021 competition.

The photo, by Canadian photographer Thomas Vijayan, 4. The phrase “optical illusion” means … is called The World is Going A. something that is not real Upside Down.

B. something that tricks your eyes C. something that enlightens the mind Vijayan took the photo in Borneo, where he selected a tree in the water so D. something that is turned upside down he could get a good reflection of the sky and create the upside-down effect.

UK asks EU to extend grace period for chilled meat exports In late June, the UK formally requested a 3-month extension to the grace period in which to export chilled meats to the European Union.

Under EU rules, chilled meats cannot be imported from non-member countries. Since January, British producers should not have been able to sell these products in the EU. But under a deal reached in December 2020, a 6-month grace period was granted to give retailers time to adapt.

5. The phrase “grace period” means …

A. extra time B. prime time C. crunch time D. standard time

Japanese man invents edible bags to save Nara’s sacred deer Nara (奈良市) in central Japan is home to around 1,000 sacred deer, which are officially designated as a national natural treasure. Last year, 9 deer died 6. The word “edible” means … after ingesting plastic bags disposed of A. durable by visitors.

B. palatable C. comestible Recently, in an effort to save the deer, a local entrepreneur named Hidetoshi D. indigestible Matsukawa has developed a bag that is made from rice bran and milk cartons, and is safe to eat.

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12

Things Around Us

Vlogging Essential Gear mirrorless camera

13

webcam

microphone

pop filter

camcorder

audio recorder

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tabletop tripod

gimbal stabilizer

ring light

umbrella light

video editing software

video editing application

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14

Food for Thought

How Bad is Soda for You?

D

id you know that about 1.9 billion servings of Coca-Cola are sold in more than 200 countries every day? Fizzy, sugary

drinks are immensely popular all over the world. However, many people, especially children and teenagers, tend to neglect (忽視) the hazardous effects on their health.

The occasional soda is fine, but frequent consumption can cause a wide range of serious health problems.

For a long time, scientists and doctors have been warning us not to drink too much soda. Not only is it a major cause of obesity, but also it increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and liver damage.

There is also evidence that fizzy drinks can cause tooth decay, brittle bones, hyperactivity (過度活躍) and premature ageing.

People who look for good nutrition in these drinks will be disappointed. They contain nothing but water, sugar, and additives for flavouring and colouring. A single can of soda contains 46 grams of sugar. We obtain energy from what we consume, but the sugar in soda is a form of bad carbohydrates (碳水化合 物). Examples of good carbohydrates that fill us with energy and provide essential nutrition are fruit, vegetables, and wholegrains.

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Artificial sweeteners in fizzy drinks quickly hit the bloodstream, causing the sugar spike that some people crave (渴求) as it seems to give them additional energy. In many studies, people describe their heart thumping (怦怦跳) and their pulse racing during a sugar spike. This is not a harmless feeling, as it shows that the body is under stress. Remember that these changes in the body are caused by an avalanche (突然大量) of sugar in the blood, which is undesirable.

An hour or so after drinking a Coca-Cola or Sprite, we experience a sudden blood sugar crash, or sugar slump, which makes us feel tired and sluggish (遲緩的). Some people immediately reach for a second drink or a sugary snack to replenish their sugar levels.

In the long run, they could be trapped in a vicious circle (惡性循環) of addiction.

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16

Food for Thought

You may think that diet soda is a good alternative (替代品) to regular soda. However, this is incorrect. It might be true that the diet version has fewer calories, but it is linked to many of the same health issues as regular fizzy drinks.

When people suddenly feel thirsty, they often have a can of soda, which is cheap and easily available. There is no need to drink liquid candy, however. You may really enjoy fizzy drinks, but science has proved that our body finds it hard to deal with sugar spikes and crashes. It is vital to keep ourselves hydrated but it is much wiser to choose a glass of healthy water instead of a can of injurious (有害的) soda.

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Great Innovations

Reon Pocket 2 Portable AC Keeping cool wherever you go

E

very summer seems to be hotter than the last.

On a sizzling (酷熱) summer day, most people

are delighted to stay indoors and enjoy the soothing chill of air conditioning.

Now you don’t have to stay indoors to escape from the merciless heat of the summer. Thanks to Reon Pocket 2 by Sony, you can take your air con with you wherever you go.

Reon Pocket by Sony is the first and only wearable air conditioning device in the world. The new generation of this smart device was launched on April 22 this year.

Reon Pocket 2 looks very similar to its predecessor (前身), but it boasts a number of significant improvements.

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Great Innovations

Sony has replaced the silicon cooling surface of the portable AC with a stainless steel one. This increases its heat absorption capacity and enhances its cooling power. According to Sony, Reon Pocket 2 has twice as much cooling power as its previous model.

The new Reon Pocket can be used as a cooling device in the summer and a warmer in the winter. The gadget has an operating temperature range from 5°C to 40°C. It comes with a COOL Mode and a WARM Mode, each of which has 4 temperature levels. The wearer can easily set the temperature level desired via the dedicated smartphone app.

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Another major improvement is the enhanced water and sweat resistant structure. With this new feature, Reon Pocket 2 can be used when the wearer is doing light exercise, such as walking and playing golf. However, the device is not fully waterproof or dustproof.

The original Reon Pocket required the users to buy special undershirts with a pocket to hold the device.

Now Sony has developed a neckband that you can hang around your neck. With this accessory, you can wear Reon Pocket 2 with whatever clothes you like. The neckband is sold separately for 1,430 yen (HK$101).

Sony has partnered with a number of leading brands to produce clothes that are compatible (兼容) with the device. Golf apparel (服裝) that can be fitted with the portable air con is now available from Le Coq Sportif, Descente Golf, and Munsingwear. Sony is also planning to include business shirts from Edifice, and casual clothes from Estnation.

Sony Reon Pocket 2 is small and lightweight.

The device only measures 116 mm in length, 54 mm in width, and 20 mm in depth. It weighs 92 grams, just three grams more than the original version, despite all the new features. It is charged via USB-C and can operate for up to 20 hours on a single charge at Level 1 temperature level.

Sony Reon Pocket 2 is an amazing device that makes life much more pleasant in the scorching heat when you are outdoors. It is now available in Japan and online at 14,850 yen (HK$1050).

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20

Easily Confused Words

1. Part of Speech: uncountable noun Meaning: the act of sharing information, ideas, or feelings with others 溝通 ; 交流 2. Part of Speech: countable noun

communication

Meaning: a message, a letter, or an announcement 訊息 ; 信件 ; 通告

1. Part of Speech: plural noun (followed by a singular verb) Meaning: methods of sending information, especially by phones, computers, etc. 通訊 ; 通訊系統 2. Part of Speech: plural noun (followed by a singular verb)

communications

Exercise

Meaning: ways of moving between one place and another 交通聯繫 ; 交通網路

Fill in each of the blanks with communication or communications.

(1) Unified ______________ is playing an increasingly important role in the commercial world.

(2) Good ______________ between the husband and wife is essential to a happy marriage.

(3) The main job of a public relations officer is to enhance ______________ with clients.

(4) Modern armies depend largely on satellite ______________ to conduct their operations.

(5) The government has built a lot of highways to improve ______________ between the new towns.

(6) Many linguists say that non-verbal ______________, like gestures and facial expressions,

21

is just as important as speech.

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Common Errors

People who lack of confidence can hardly succeed.

1. The word lack means having none or not enough of something. When used as a verb, lack is a transitive verb that directly takes an object.

e.g. People who lack of confidence can hardly succeed.  People who lack confidence can hardly succeed. 

2. When used as a noun, the word lack is used with the preposition of.

e.g. People who lack of confidence can hardly succeed.  People who are in lack of confidence can hardly succeed. 

3. The adjective form of the word lack is lacking. It is used with the preposition in.

e.g. People who are lacking of confidence can hardly succeed.  People who are lacking in confidence can hardly succeed. 

Exercise

Fill in each blank with the correct form of the word lack.

Make sure that the grammar is correct.

1

Doris has lost the marathon because she is ___________ in stamina.

2

You cannot be a good manager if you ___________ leadership qualities.

3

Helen cannot get a good job because she ___________ practical experience.

4

There was a ___________ of public support for the Republican Party at the last election.

5

One of the problems faced by many small and medium enterprises is ___________ of funds.

6

Prolonged ___________ of sleep can have injurious effects on both physical and mental health.

7

Students cannot score high marks in composition if their essays are ___________ in creativity.

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Word Games

Famous Proverbs Challenge 1 Across

1. Money is the __________ of all evil.

2. Beauty is in the eye of the __________.

3. Spare the __________ and spoil the child.

4. Make __________ while the sun shines.

5. There is no place like __________.

Down 6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Never judge a book by its __________.

Honesty is the best __________.

Absence makes the __________ grow fonder.

Don’t put the cart before the __________.

All that glitters is not __________.

6 7 8

1 2 9 4 10 5

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3

Challenge 2 Across 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Down

Knowledge is __________.

Necessity is the __________ of invention.

Strike while the __________ is hot.

An apple a day keeps the __________ away.

A fool and his __________ are soon parted.

6. Birds of a __________ flock together.

7. Love makes the __________ go around.

8. Every __________ has a silver lining.

9. A stitch in __________ saves nine.

10. A rolling __________ gathers no moss.

6 7 8

1

9 2 10

3 4 5

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Quiz Page

History of Public Transport in Hong Kong 1

2

4 When was the Peak Tram opened for public service?

When was Kowloon Motor Bus Company (KMB) founded?

A. 1888

A. 1903

B. 1898

B. 1913

C. 1908

C. 1923

D. 1918

D. 1933

When did the Star Ferry begin its service across Victoria Harbour?

A. 1868

5

B. 1888

When was the Cross Harbour Tunnel opened?

C. 1908

A. 1968

D. 1928

B. 1972 C. 1976 D. 1980

3 When did trams start running on Hong Kong Island?

A. 1904 B. 1914

6

When did the MTR begin operating public transport services in Hong Kong?

A. 1969

C. 1924

B. 1974

D. 1934

C. 1979 D. 1984

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7

10 When was the Octopus card launched?

When was the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal opened?

A. 1991 B. 1994

A. 2003

C. 1997

B. 2008

D. 2000

C. 2013 D. 2018

8 When was Hong Kong International Airport opened?

11

A. 1997 B. 1998

When was the HK section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link opened?

C. 1999

A. 2017

D. 2000

B. 2018 C. 2019 D. 2020

12 9

When was the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge opened?

When did the Ngong Ping 360 cable car service begin its service?

A. 2016

A. 2002

B. 2017

B. 2004

C. 2018

C. 2006

D. 2019

D. 2008

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Brainteaser

AGE ORDER There are 7 children.

• Joe is the youngest.

• Ann is older than Kate and Mark but younger than Bob. • Kate is older than May but younger than Mark.

• Rose is older than Ann but younger than Bob. Can you put the seven kids in order of age, from the oldest to the youngest?

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Answer Page

01 Feature 1. TRUE 2. FALSE 3. FALSE 4. NOT GIVEN 5. NOT GIVEN 6. FALSE 7. NOT GIVEN 8. FALSE 9. TRUE 10. C 11. A 12. N 13. M 14. G

15. B 16. E 17. D 18. a. encroachment (Paragraph 2) b. persistent (Paragraph 2) c. lethal (Paragraph 4) d. lucrative (Paragraph 5) e. penchant (Paragraph 5) f . foster (Paragraph 8) 19. a. gigantic ; enormous b. conserve ; protect c. outlaw ; ban ; forbid ; prohibit d. coexist e. disgrace ; shame

23 Word Games 6

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4. B 視錯覺 5. A 寬限期 6. C 適宜食用的

4. communications 5. communications 6. communication

22 Common Errors

E A

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Challenge 1 Across 1.

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21 Easily Confused Words

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1. communications 2. communication 3. communication

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11 WHAT’S IN THE NEWS 1. B 取消 2. A 違反 3. B 被迫離開居地

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C 1

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Challenge 2 Across 1.

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feather world cloud time stone

1. Doris has lost the marathon because she is lacking in stamina.

2. You cannot be a good manager if you lack leadership qualities.

3. Helen cannot get a good job because she lacks practical experience.

4. There was a lack of public support for the Republican Party at the last election.

5. One of the problems faced by many small and medium enterprises is lack of funds.

6. Prolonged lack of sleep can have injurious effects on both physical and mental health.

7. Students cannot score high marks in composition if their essays are lacking in creativity.

27 Brainteaser Solution Bob (the oldest), Rose, Ann, Mark, Kate, May and Joe (the youngest).

25 Quiz Page 1.

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A B A D B C C B C C B C

The English Channel

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