Passive voice : examples from the news	

 1	Underline the examples of the passive voice and say why it has been used rather than an 	active construction

The shipping industry says it's been hit by the global financial crisis and the recent spate of piracy attacks off Somalia. The chairman of the Hong Kong Ship Owners Association and chief executive of the Anglo-Eastern Group, Peter Cremers said ships are wary of sailing through the Gulf of Aden which has boosted costs as vessels are diverted. (2)

Analysts polled by Reuters news agency say they believe China's economy grew by just seven per cent in the last quarter of last year. If borne out by official data, this would be the worst figure in a decade. The Chinese authorities believe a minimum growth rate of eight per cent is needed to avoid severe unemployment and social disruption. China's manufacturing sector has been badly hit by recession in its main export markets. (2)

Temperatures over Hong Kong dipped on Sunday morning with the mercury plunging to minus one degree celsius in Ta Kwu Ling. A spokesman for the Observatory said it was the lowest temperature recorded in Ta Kwu Ling since a weather station was set up there more than two decades ago. The Observatory says the average temperature recorded in the urban areas was 10 degrees. But, it was considerably colder in some parts of the New Territories. (3)

2	Complete the texts with a passive or active form of the verb in brackets in an appropriate 	tense

The Secretary for the Environment, Edward Yau, says the government will come up with a basket of proposals on ways to put together a new air pollution index later this year. Mr Yau said a public consultation ____________(begin)  later this year. He said the exercise _________ (decide)  when a new index ___________ (put) place; and what measures __________(need)  to acheive that. Mr Yau (admit)  that the current index, which ___________ (measure)  using standards ___________(establish) 21 years ago, is obsolete. 

Somali pirates _____________(release)  a Hong-Kong registered cargo ship, _________ (charter) by Iran, which _________ (hijack) in the Gulf of Aden in November. Iran's state broadcaster ___________ (report) that the vessel, ___________ (name)  Delight, (release) on Friday evening and was sailing towards the Iranian coast. It said that all 25 members of the crew were safe, but did not say whether any ransom ____________ (pay). Pirates _________ (seize)  the Delight as it headed for the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, carrying 36,000 tonnes of wheat. 

Hong Kong Airlines, a local airline ___________(serve)  mainly Asian cities, ___________(lay off) about 50 staff. The Confederation of Trade Unions said the workers _____________ (receive)  their severance notice by post, but ____________ (not / tell) of the reason. 

The shipping industry says it's been hit by the global financial crisis and the recent spate of piracy attacks off Somalia. The chairman of the Hong Kong Ship Owners Association and chief executive of the Anglo-Eastern Group, Peter Cremers said ships are wary of sailing through the Gulf of Aden which has boosted costs as vessels are diverted.

Analysts polled by Reuters news agency say they believe China's economy grew by just seven per cent in the last quarter of last year. If borne out by official data, this would be the worst figure in a decade. The Chinese authorities believe a minimum growth rate of eight per cent is needed to avoid severe unemployment and social disruption. China's manufacturing sector has been badly hit by recession in its main export markets. 

Temperatures over Hong Kong dipped on Sunday morning with the mercury plunging to minus one degree celsius in Ta Kwu Ling. A spokesman for the Observatory said it was the lowest temperature recorded in Ta Kwu Ling since a weather station was set up there more than two decades ago. The Observatory says the average temperature recorded in the urban areas was 10 degrees. But, it was considerably colder in some parts of the New Territories.

The Secretary for the Environment, Edward Yau, says the government will come up with a basket of proposals on ways to put together a new air pollution index later this year. Mr Yau said a public consultation will begin later this year. He said the exercise would decide when a new index would be put in place; and what measures were needed to acheive that. Mr Yau has admitted that the current index, which is measured using standards established 21 years ago, is obsolete. 

Somali pirates have released a Hong-Kong registered cargo ship, chartered by Iran, which was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden in November. Iran's state broadcaster reported that the vessel, named Delight, was released on Friday evening and was sailing towards the Iranian coast. It said that all 25 members of the crew were safe, but did not say whether any ransom had been paid. Pirates seized the Delight as it headed for the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, carrying 36,000 tonnes of wheat. 

Hong Kong Airlines, a local airline serving mainly Asian cities, has laid off about 50 staff. The Confederation of Trade Unions said the workers received their severance notice by post, but were not told of the reason.