hard to top

[unpakwon]

Could anyone please explain the following in bold?

1. As an example of the severity of China's self-inflicted air pollution crisis, it would hard to top the northeast city of Benxi---one of the 20 largest cities in China.

In the above, is "hard" a verb? It doesn't seem so. Is the above correct?

2. What I do know is that the problem in endemic and cuts to the heart of the Chinese psyche, at least in the People's Republic.

Thank you.

[2006]

Could anyone please explain the following in bold?

1. As an example of the severity of China's self-inflicted air pollution crisis, it would be hard to top the northeast city of Benxi---one of the 20 largest cities in China.

In the above, is "hard" a verb? It doesn't seem so. You are right; "hard" is not a verb. What do you think it is? (here, "hard" means difficult)
Is the above correct? After adding "be", it's correct.

2. What I do know is that the problem is endemic and cuts to the heart of the Chinese psyche, at least in the People's Republic. Do you have any idea what the bold part means?

Thank you.

2006

[unpakwon]

Thank you for the help.

I'm not sure of the meaning the part in bold "cuts to the heart of the Chinese psyche." That's why I asked about it.

Could it happen to mean "the problem is deeply rooted in their heart"?

[2006]

Thank you for the help.

I'm not sure of the meaning the part in bold "cuts to the heart of the Chinese psyche." That's why I asked about it.

Could it happen to mean "the problem is deeply rooted in their heart"?

1...The above "hard" is an adjective.
2...Here "cuts to the heart of the Chinese psyche" means that the pollution crisis 'is an extemely important concern in the minds of the Chinese people'. You have the right idea, and maybe someone else can explain it better than I did.