英语听力精选进阶版 7284（在线收听）

香港的一家酒店近日出售了一些客房供买家当住宅房用。香港是全球房价最高的几个城市之一，买酒店客房是当地居民应对房价暴涨的一个方法。

The hotel suites are cheaper than apartments in Hong Kong. Hundreds of people lined up for hours to buy a unit at the Apex Horizon Hotel this week. It's not clear whether investors can legally live in the suites but buyers are still eager.

Voice of Hong Kong man:

The developer had lawyers look at it thoroughly, so I'm not worried.

Voice of Hong Kong woman:

At these prices the hotel suites are cheaper to buy than public housing.

The hotel was able to sell all 360 of its suites in two days - a sign there is a demand for affordable housing. Hong Kong's low interest rate has attracted hoards of mainland Chinese investors.

It pushed home prices to record highs last year. Flats cost an average of HK$14,000 per square metre in central locations. Many residents feel they can no longer afford to buy apartments.

Hong Kong people cope by renting makeshift homes on rooftops, while others move into so-called cage homes - hutches made from wire-mesh, stacked on top of each other in a tiny room. The government's efforts to cool down property prices have not worked. So Hong Kong residents have to be creative in finding space to live.

Quiz 听力测验

True or False? Apartments in Hong Kong are more expensive than hotel suites.

True. The hotel suites are cheaper than apartments in Hong Kong.

True or False? People who buy hotel suites can live in them legally.

False. It is not clear whether they can live in the suites.

Why does Hong Kong attract many Chinese mainland investors?

Because the interest rate is very low in Hong Kong.

What do Hong Kong people do to cope with soaring housing prices?

They rent makeshift homes on rooftops or move into hutches that are stacked on top of each other in a tiny room.

Glossary 词汇表

lined up排队（等候）

eager迫切的，非常感兴趣的

affordable（多数人）买得起的

hoards大量的

cope应对，对付

makeshift临时的，凑合的

hutches养小动物的笼子（尤其指兔笼）

cool down使（房价）增长速度放慢