英语学习论坛的“听力练习区”正式与大家见面啦。欢迎大家来这里练习听力，交流经验，共同进步。

本练习区的音频文件选自英语点津的“听中国日报”、“VOA常速”、“流行金曲”及“名人演讲”等栏目，题材丰富，难度各异，适合不同阶段的英语学习者。

英语点津会定期发布音频材料，大家可以在跟帖中贴出自己听写出的音频文字稿。每个音频材料的标准文字稿会在帖子发布两天后公布。

进入该文章的听写练习页面

Home sales in Hong Kong jumped to the highest level in five months as an economic rebound and the lowest borrowing costs in at least 20 years spur demand.

Sales rose 13 percent to 40.8 billion Hong Kong dollars -- or $5.25 billion US dollars -- in February from the previous month, the Land Registry said on Tuesday on its website. The number of transactions climbed 10 percent to 11,733, the agency said.

The jump in home-buying underscores concern that the property market may overheat after prices surged 29 percent last year. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government raised taxes on luxury-home sales and pledged to boost the supply of apartments after reporting an increase in fourth-quarter economic growth last week.

"With the economic recovery and a low interest rate environment, it's hard to put a bearish feel on the property market," said Buggle Lau, chief property analyst at realty company Midland Holdings Ltd.

The gains will be sustained "unless we see rates increase significantly, or the government introduces more measures", he said.

Hong Kong banks are offering home loans at interest rates that are the lowest in at least 20 years.

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

Renee Haines is an editor and broadcaster at China Daily. Renee has more than 15 years of experience as a newspaper editor, radio station anchor and news director, news-wire service reporter and bureau chief, magazine writer, book editor and website consultant. She came to China from the United States.