It would pay farmers to plough up the scrub and plant wheat.

Shortlists for job interviews election ballot papers lists of conference speakers and attendees: all tend to be drawn up alphabetically and their recipients lose interest as they plough through them.

Wang Shihou unloads the plough and he opened the wine bottles to propose a toast one by one. Also he sends cigarettes to them. Dozens of smoke move slowly. Several women bend down and cough up.