英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0328 - 心灵鸡汤 or 心灵毒药

 Topic1 Yu Le BaoChina's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, the world's biggest e-commerce company, launched an insurance fund that allows customers to invest in entertainment products.

The product, called "Yu Le Bao" or "entertainment treasure" in English, lets people deposit a minimum of 100 yuan ($16.12) using their smartphones. The funds will then be invested in film, television programme and online game projects through insurance and wealth management products offered by Guohua Life, a Shanghai-based life insurance company.

Yu Le Bao has a forecast annualized interest rate of 7 percent, more than twice the capped 3.3 percent rate that traditional banks can offer depositors.

What is it? Is it another wealth management product, or another zhongchou?

Topic2 Chinese Women's Travel Willingness Report in 20142013 data from Australia-based tour operator Intrepid¹ Travel shows the global travel market is made up by 64 per cent of women.

One of the most-visited online travel sites in China, Qunar has recently conducted an online survey of female travel enthusiasts², indicating where and how they want to travel.

According to the survey, in which post-80s accounted for over 56% of respondents, women's passion about island travel is apparent.

How willing are Chinese women to travel?

Topic3 Plants VS Street VendorsIn an effort to keep street vendors³ and illegal motorbike taxies away, Kunming Da Guan Property Management Company put nearly 600 pots of plants and flowers under the Guibei Bridge in Xiaoximen area.

So instead of Plants vs Zombies, it's now plants vs. vendors. Is it a good idea?

Topic4 People Hate Chicken Soup for SoulRecently, a post entitled "Why I hate Chicken Soup for the Soul" has become popular on the Friends' circle of WeChat. Written by a net user on Douban, the article points out that the so-called Chicken Soup for the Soul teaches people nothing but self-deception.

What are these articles? Are they deceptive⁴?

Topic5 Running In Exchange for Free BreakfastAs the saying goes, the early bird gets the worm.

Now Zhengzhou University is providing free breakfast to students who rise early to exercise. The aim is to encourage students to keep a regular routine.

Do you think it is a good idea?

Topic6 Exercise during traffic jamTraffic congestion⁵ is worsening every day in China.

A survey shows that average daily traffic congestion time in Beijing in 2013 was 1 hour and 55 minutes, 25 minutes longer than 2012.

At the same time, people complain they spend too much time on road and don't have time to exercise.

This week, a series of pictures on the internet seem to be able to solve the problem. The pictures show what physical exercise that a person can do in cars, for example, a girl in the picture moves her neck in different directions and put her hand behind her neck to stretch.

Is it going to be helpful?

1 intrepid   

adj.无畏的，刚毅的

参考例句：

• He is not really satisfied with his intrepid action.他没有真正满意他的无畏行动。
• John's intrepid personality made him a good choice for team leader.约翰勇敢的个性适合作领导工作。

2 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

3 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

4 deceptive   

adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• His appearance was deceptive.他的外表带有欺骗性。
• The storyline is deceptively simple.故事情节看似简单，其实不然。

5 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。