英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0620 - 相亲吃饭谁付钱？

 Topic1 Gaokao cheatingA police investigation¹ into cheating during this month's national college exam has been launched in Henan. The province has found 165 violators, with 127 of them taking the test for others.

Every year, the educational authorities claim they hold a zero-tolerance attitude toward cheating in gaokao and yet every year, cheating scandals are exposed.

What happened in Henan?

Topic2 High school students attend prom in ZhengzhouWhile some senior high students celebrate graduation and the end of Gaokao by throwing away all their textbooks, others have dressed up and attended fancy dance parties.

A recent prom-like party held for high school graduates in Zhengzhou, in central China's Henan province, has drawn² public attention and also criticism.

On the one hand, people show support for this new way of saying goodbye to the high school years. On the other, critics say the party is all about flaunting³ wealth with attendees dressing⁴ up in fancy clothes and walking a red carpet.

What is the Chinese senior prom like?

Topic3 Marry after graduationA recent survey by Southern Metropolis⁵ Weekly shows that 30% of the 200 students in Huizhou University plan to get married right after graduation while more students prefer starting their career first.

In Chinese, it's called "bihun." Why do you think some people choose it?

Topic4 Hearing for Stray CatsIt is not uncommon⁶ to see stray cats on school campuses all over China. Some like them and some don't with little compromise. However, no school takes it as serious as Shenzhen Middle School.

Recently, the they held a school hearing to decide the fate of these homeless cats. Turns out, they can stay.

Before we look at whether the cats should stay, let's take a look at the hearing. How serious was it?

Topic5 Graduation photo becomes online hitA graduation group photo for the paleontology department at China's prestigious⁷ Peking University has had China talking for the past few days.

The most interesting thing about the photo is that there is only one person.

The female graduate posted the photo online and since has gotten many comments.

What's it like to have just one person for the major?

Topic6 Who pays for blind dateRecently, a young man and woman in Fuzhou city had their first blind date and it didn't work out. The young man claimed he didn't take enough money to pay the bill and suggested going Dutch. However, the girl got snarky and sparked a fight between the two of them. After mediation⁸ from a police officer, they agreed to split the billWho should pay for the first dinner in a blind date?

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

3 flaunting   

adj.招摇的，扬扬得意的，夸耀的v.炫耀，夸耀( flaunt的现在分词 )；有什么能耐就施展出来

参考例句：

• He did not believe in flaunting his wealth. 他不赞成摆阔。
• She is fond of flaunting her superiority before her friends and schoolmates. 她好在朋友和同学面前逞强。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

5 metropolis   

n.首府；大城市

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。
• He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

6 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

7 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

8 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。