K/ Fill in the blanks using the words given
funds- stabilise- investors- procedures- plunged- fall- healthi er- threatened
rate- challenge- legislation- to raise- dropped- peak- to steady- remain- risky
1. Earlier this month, the government announced it would provide $2 billion in funds in an attempt to stabilise neighbourhoods badly hit by the economic crisis.
2. City agencies, non profit organisations and private firms all need to work together in order to attract investors to the neighbourhood. To entice them, the city worked out a strategy to make business start-up procedures less complex and to train administrators in processing files in record times.
3. Home prices in many US cities plunged to hit rock bottom, but house prices in Denver dropped only 4% over the last year, representing the smallest fall of the 20 largest US cities.
4. Colorado’s economy remains healthier than many other states. Unemployment in March stood at 7.5% compared to 4.6% a year ago, but still below the national rate of 8.5%. The most pressing challenge, however, lies in sorting out the States fiscal problems.
5. Unless the legislation can be changed to allow the legislator more flexibility to raise funds, the recovery may be more painful than the recession.
6. Commercial property values have dropped by 43%, a record level decline since the peak witnessed in June 2007. After falling to just 4.6%, property yields have since rebounded to 7.8% in April; their highest in almost 12 years. On the face of it, yields of close to 8% should be enough to steady the market, provided the investors start to regain their activity.
7. A study of emerging countries economies shows that economic activity in these countries is expected either to remain constant or to expand despite the risky atmosphere on the global level.
8. The unemployment situation has a direct effect on consumer behaviour. Consumers who feel threatened to lose their jobs are unlikely to go on shopping sprees.
