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On learning that Captain Charles Elliot had seized Hong Kong island during the opium war with China (1839-42), Britain's then foreign secretary:

Fumed "You have obtained a barren island, with hardly a house on it."

Rewarded the captain with a lordship and his weight in pearls

Exclaimed "A more beautiful island was never seen. Her Majesty will be proud."

Ordered the immediate expulsion of all Chinese from the island

Philip Snow, an historian, argues that although Britain officially lost control of Hong Kong in 1997, the real loss of control occurred in:

1901, when locals grew angry over the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion

1941, when British forces surrendered to Japan

1956, when Hong Kongers grew angry over the Suez Crisis

1984, when China and Britain agreed on the framework for Hong Kong's handover

In the "Joint Declaration" of 1984 between China and Britain, China agreed that Hong Kong would keep its economic and political system and a degree of autonomy until:

1997

2007

2024

2047

What was the main pretext for a demonstration in July 2003 by some 500,000 Hong Kongers?

High levels of air pollution

Suppression of the Falun Gong religious sect

A proposed law giving Hong Kong's government new powers to suppress alleged subversives

The denial by Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong's chief executive, that Tiananmen Square constituted a massacre

How many of the 60 seats in Hong Kong's Legislative Council were directly elected in 2004?

20

60

30

10

Which body has replaced Britain's Privy Council as the highest court in Hong Kong?

The Hong Kong Supreme Court

The Court of Final Appeal

The People's Court

The Hong Kong High Court

Why have Hong Kong's wealthy inhabitants deserted local schools in favour of private, international ones, since the handover in 1997?

Teachers in local schools have been accused of victimising wealthy children

Parents are keen to give their children an international outlook

International schools have better air filters, which mitigate the effect of Hong Kong's smog

The quality of English-language teaching has reportedly declined in local schools

In 2006 Hong Kong's immigration department estimated that the number of Western expatriates in the city had fallen by how much since 2001?

By one-third, to just over 70,000

By 10%, to just over 80,000

By one-twentieth, to just over 100,000

By 65%, to just over 35,000

As of March 2007, how far above norms set by the World Health Organisation were Hong Kong's air pollutant concentrations?

600%

90%

200%

350%

The destruction of which structure in December 2006 led to a movement to protect Hong Kong's architectural heritage?

A ferry terminal on the city's waterfront

A bus terminal that had been a carriage house in the Victorian era

A restaurant on the site of Hong Kong's first opium den

A police station in the New Territories

Before Donald Tsang became Hong Kong's chief executive in 2005, he:

Ran Hutchison Whampoa, a ports operator

Headed PCCW, a telecoms firm

Was a career civil servant

Worked for Cathay Pacific, an airline

In March 2007 Mr Tsang was "re-elected" as Hong Kong's chief executive. How was he selected?

He was reappointed to the post by the government in Beijing

He was elected by Hong Kong's Legislative Council

He was chosen by an "election committee" comprised of just under 800 members

He was elected by members of the Legislative Council, who had to choose from a pool of candidates selected by Beijing officials