1. This passage is:
(a) a newspaper editorial
(b) a letter to a newspaper
(c) a newspaper article
(d) an advertisement placed in a newspaper

2. 'Hence' in line 9 introduces:
(a) a cause
(b) an effect
(c) a reason
(d) a question

3. What is the writer's attitude to the new Financial Secretary Donald Tsang:
(a) encouraging
(b) critical
(c) supportive
(d) committed

4. What is the main point of paragraph 4?
(a) to analyse the problem
(b) to give reasons for the call for action
(c) to describe the pattern of government spending
(d) to describe the operation of the free market

5. What is the writer's attitude to the role of government in the Hong Kong economy?
(a) critical of the new initiatives taken
(b) agreeing that the less intervention, the better
(c) arguing that more intervention is required
(d) arguing that in the past the wrong type of intervention has taken place in Hong Kong

6. In line 3 'it' refers to:
(a) a message
(b) the government
(c) financial management
(d) none of the above

7.In line 26 'endure' could be replaced by which of the following?
(a) enjoy
(b) wait for
(c) put up with
(d) start

8. In line 25 'seek' could be replaced by which of the following?
(a) find
(b) look for
(c) choose
(d) are forced to go for

9. 'as' in line 7 can best be replaced with:
(a) therefore
(b) because
(c) at the time that
(d) while

10.The word 'yet' in line 14 is similar in meaning to which of the following?
(a) in spite of that
(b) then
(c) at the same time
(d) up to now

11.'Meanwhile' in line 17 can best be replaced by:
(a) at the same time
(b) whereas
(c) in spite of the fact that
(d) although

12. In line 18 'owing to' is closest in meaning to:
(a) because of
(b) due by
(c) caused by
(d) although

13. In line 34 the dash could be replaced by:
(a) a full stop
(b) 'that is'
(c) 'this means'
(d) 'for example'

14. In line 30 "invisible" is in inverted commas because:
(a) the writer is using direct speech
(b) the word is used in an unusual way
(c) the writer is quoting from another source
(d) to emphasize the word

15. In line 34 the word 'would' is used to indicate:
(a) a guess
(b) a past event
(c) a hypothesis that is true
(d) a theory

16. In line 28 'This' refers to:
(a) pressure
(b) assistance
(c) difficult procedure
(d) harsh means test