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People have lived in what is
now Hong Kong since ancient times. The area came under Chinese control
about 220 B.C.
Until the 1800's, it consisted
of small fishing and farming villages. During the 1800's the Chinese
government tried to stop British merchants from smuggling opium into China.
So Hong Kong has two official languages, Chinese and English. In
1898, China leased to Britain for 99 years the New Territories and the
many islands that made up Hong Kong. In the early 1980's, China and
Britain began negotiations on an agreement to transfer Hong Kong back to
China when Britain's lease of the New Territories expired in 1997.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. It is a major port of Asia. Hong Kong is also a center of trade, finance, and tourism.
By Winnie
source: English WorldBook 99
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Streetcar in Hong Kong |
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I like January 21st through February 19th, because it is the New Year in
China, whole town turns out. During this time, we clean house on the last
day before New Year. Then, father cleans the sitting room and mother cleans
the kitchen. My brother, my sister, and I have ten-days for this holiday,
but father and mother just have three-days because they have to earn a
lot of money to provide for me. Some of the mornings, mother brings me
to visit friends during her three days off. Many people kowtow and say
“Happy New Year” then they give children money.
Father and Mother arrange for friends to have breakfast in the restaurant
in the morning. After eating they go shopping to buy some new things. At
dinner, they go again to the restaurant to have an abundant dinner. They
order seafood, for example, lobster, shrimp, crab or fish. Or they might
order pork, chicken, or beef.
On that day, we don’t just eat regular foods. We also eat a lot of candy
and fruit.
During New Year’s in Hong Kong, many people travel around China, Japan,
America, England and France.
There was one of twelve animals that symbolize the Twelve Branches used
to designate years (according that the lunar calendar). Fox example: Rat,
Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and
Pig. I was born in 1986, the tear of the Tiger.
During New Year, I sometimes call my best friends to go shopping. The mall
is bustling. We sometimes see many pictures in the shop windows. Many pictures
include bouncing fish, a symbol of abundance; plump little boys; flowers;
and birds, they are very beautiful.
