Talk of the town : People living in a box
【明報專訊】Due to the rise in private renting and the long waiting list for public housing, subdivided units have been common in Hong Kong for many years.
Subdivided units generally refer to flats that have been split into two or more separate units for rental purposes. They usually pose serious health and fire hazards. The issue of subdivided units is in dire need of attention. However, it is a complex problem and requires meticulous planning to resolve.
Negative impacts on children
According to a research report issued by The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, subdivided units are detrimental to the growth and development of children, affecting their cognitive, visual, emotional and spinal growth. Citing research from another organization that carried out a survey of 300 children living in subdivided units, lawmaker Joephy Chan points out that nearly 80% of the children have spinal problems. 90% of the problems are due to the living environment in subdivided units.
Eradicating lousy subdivided units
In the 2023 Policy Address, the Chief Executive established a Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units. The Task Force is responsible for setting the minimum standards of living conditions for subdivided units, such as their building safety, fire safety, hygiene requirements and living space, as well as suggesting measures to eradicate substandard subdivided units.
■Grammar Booster
in dire need
"In dire need" is a collocation, which means a desperately urgent need.
E.g. The train station is in dire need of improvement.
■Gear up
Shortage of public housing is one of the reasons for increasing subdivided units in Hong Kong.
(True / False)
■Glossary
meticulous (adj) 嚴謹的
detrimental (adj) 有損害的
eradicate (v) 根除
substandard (adj) 低於標準的
■Gear up Answer
True
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[Smarties' Power English 第392期]
