READING (CLASS 11 AND 12)How Lee Kuan Yew engineered Singapore's economic miracle

SOLVED WORKSHEET 35

READ THE PASSAGE CAREFULLY AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS :

How Lee Kuan Yew engineered Singapore's economic miracle

1. At one degree north of the equator, tropical Singapore has become a hotspot known for its efficient infrastructure, rooftop bars, chilli crab, and host city to the only night race on the Formula 1 racing calendar. 

2. Often dubbed as the "Monaco of the East", the red dot has beaten a path to steady economic progress and prosperity since the 1970s. Much of the city's success can be attributed to the vision of one man - Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister. He was in office from 1959 to 1990. The tenure made him the world's longest-serving prime minister in history. Singapore broke away from neighbouring Malaysia and gained independence in 1965. About half a century ago, Singapore was an island without any natural resources to call its own. Since then, it has pulled off a dramatic transformation - boasting two casino-integrated resorts and an airport that has frequently topped the "world's best" list.

3. A trained lawyer, this visionary leader was Singapore's chief architect in harnessing social cohesion despite ethnic and religious diversity; and in engineering an economic miracle. His defining economic policy is arguably uncompromising standards for a universally accessible, top-flight public education system - astutely identifying human capital as Singapore's key competitive advantage - supplemented with rigorous application of meritocracy. 

4. This understated principle accelerated economic ascendancy by unleashing the forces of upward social mobility for all, with little tolerance for complacency or corruption. Complemented by a fair and transparent judiciary, businesses thrived. But above all, Mr Lee's principled approach to nation building forged his legacy as a luminary.

5. Lee Kuan Yew performed a miracle transforming Singapore from one of the poorest countries in the world in the 1960s to being among the most advanced today. His main contribution, and the key to his success, was that he understood that in order to put Singapore on a sustainable growth trajectory one needs much more than sound economic policy. Any policy can be reversed, any incentives for growth can be dismantled. Mr Lee built a country whose institutional set-up is unparalleled. This includes the rule of law; efficient government structures; the continuous fight against corruption; and overall stability. 

6. Lee Kuan Yew's vision was to build an economically sound country that would be robust enough for future generations. But he knew Singapore had limitations. To achieve his dream, he had to change the mindset of its then population of around two million people. Singaporeans had to be more welcoming to immigrants if the country were to grow. The population needed to expand by continually attracting high-calibre people who would create employment, bring in much-needed capital and most importantly, pass on their key skills.

7. It is thanks to Lee Kuan Yew's vision that Singapore is as welcoming to immigrants today as it was 50 years ago. But it is the integration of foreign and home-grown talent that has allowed the country to enjoy decades of economic growth. The economic value of every person in Singapore today is as high as that of the US.

8. After the separation from Malaysia, Lee Kuan Yew developed a highly technocratic government which led to competitive, meritocratic and results-based economic policies. Some key decisions were the development of Changi Airport as a regional transport hub after Singapore outgrew the previous Paya Lebar airport, which was a state-of-the-art facility when it opened in the 1950s. 

9. The air hub and the aggressive defence of Singapore as a sea freight trans-shipment hub - as well as the technocratic foundations of transparency and good governance - led to Singapore's position as a natural hub for multinational businesses in Asia. Other key positive economic policies included the Central Provident Fund, Housing Development Board flat ownership and integrated education, which all helped Singapore transition from a village setting towards towns and the highly sophisticated cosmopolitan global city we see today.

10. Singapore is one of the most competitive economies in the world today. In order to maintain rising wages and improving living standards, Singapore will continue to transform its economy towards higher-value-added industries with strong productivity growth. Key growth drivers for Singapore over the next decade will be Singapore's role as one of the world's leading financial centres; its competitiveness as a logistics, shipping and aviation hub; and its role as a regional HQ for global multinationals. The long-term outlook for Singapore remains very bright.

A) Pick out words from the passage which mean the same as each of the following:

1. A place of significant activity: (para1)
2. To give an unofficial or a nick name (para2)
3. Accurately assessing people or situations (para3)
4. One who inspires or influences others.(para4)
5. A path of life one chooses (para5)
6. Strong and healthy (para 6)
7. A person who is going to a foreign land to live there permanently (para 7)
8. Centre of activity (para 8)
9. relating to or characterized by the government or control of society or industry by an elite of technical experts.(para 9)
10. The detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation.

ANSWERS

1. Hotspot
2. Dubbed
3. Astutely
4. Luminary
5. Trajectory
6. Robust
7. Immigrant
8. Hub
9. Technocratic
10. Logistics.