| 1 | The river suddenly rose. | |
| 2 | Prices soared (or skyrocketed). | |
| 3 | Increasing food prices are not the only problem afflicting the poor. | |
| 4 | But even as the overall demand for land surges, there are fewer buyers in the market. | |
| 5 | The surge in food and energy prices in the first half of 2008 squeezed profits and spending power. |