Spark Study Buddy (Explorer): Hong Kong welcomes 4 babies into world in first 2 hours of New Year’s Day
This page has an easy read with questions to test your understanding and work on your English skills.
A couple surnamed Lung gave birth to a baby boy weighing 3.56kg at Princess Margaret Hospital on New Year’s Day. Photo: Jelly TseContent provided by British Council
[1] Four babies were born in Hong Kong’s public hospitals in the first two hours of New Year’s Day. One of the babies was a boy welcomed into the world a week past his due date. The first baby born in 2025 in Hong Kong was a boy at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin. He was born at seven minutes past midnight and weighed 3.37kg. The same hospital also delivered a girl weighing 2.84kg at 1.59am.
[2] Jason Lung was born 12 minutes after midnight on January 1 at Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung. He weighed 3.56kg. His parents said Jason, their first child, was expected to be born on December 23 of last year. However, he arrived a week later after labour difficulties prompted his mother to have a caesarean section.
[3] The infants were among the last of the city’s “dragon babies” before the Year of the Snake starts on January 29. The dragon is the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac. “Lung” is also a word for the mythical creature in Chinese. Asked what his new parents wished for their son, his mother said: “Childhood is quite an important phase in a child’s life ... happiness is everything.”
[4] She hoped to raise her son in a stress-free environment. She also wanted to ensure he had the freedom to choose his hobbies for himself. Her husband thanked his wife for struggling through 18 hours of labour.
[5] The couple said Jason’s father had chosen the name in hopes he would be gentle, healthy and talented. He has yet to receive his Chinese name. Another family welcomed a girl into the world at the same hospital an hour later.
[6] Since October 2023, residents who become new parents are entitled to apply for a HK$20,000 handout per child. It is part of the government’s efforts to boost the birth rate. In addition to the handout, families with newborns or young children are given priority in balloting and selecting government-subsidised flats under the Home Ownership Scheme. Families with young children lining up for public rental flats can also have their waiting times reduced by a year.
Source: South China Morning Post, January 1
Questions
1. According to paragraph 1, what time did the first baby arrive in Hong Kong in 2025?
A. 11.53am
B. 11.53pm
C. 12.07am
D. 12.07pm
2. In paragraph 2, did Jason’s parents plan for him to be born on January 1, and why?
3. Based on your understanding of paragraph 3, what is the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac?
4. In paragraph 5, what does Jason’s father hope for him?
5. Hong Kong welcomed the New Year with the ____ of four babies in public hospitals in the first two hours of 2025.
A. born
B. birth
C. birthing
D. is born
6. Write the correct punctuation. (4 marks)
The Hong Kong government has introduced new programmes for families with children to boost the birth rate (i) _______. These programs include (ii) _______ a HK$20,000 financial handout for each newborn child (iii) _______ and reduced waiting times for public rental housing for families with young children (iv) _____.
Answers
1. C
2. No, because he was supposed to be born on December 23 last year but his mother had a caesarean section after labour difficulties.
3. snake
4. that he would be gentle, healthy and talented
5. B
6. (i) . (ii) : (iii), (iv) .