英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0324 - 野生动物在真人秀中变身萌宠，真的好吗？

 Topic1 China's airports and airlines lead the world in flight delays: US surveyChinese airports and airlines were the worst in the world for being on time last year, according to a US-based company that tracks air travel around the globe.

Among the world's 61 largest airports, the seven worst performers for on-time departures were all mainland airports, with Hangzhou's Xiaoshan, Shanghai's Hongqiao and Shanghai's Pudong facilities taking the bottom three spots, according to FlightStats, a US-based data provider on air travel.

How bad are Chinese airports? What would you say about them?

Topic2 Animal reality show starts debate on animal rightsChina's first animal reality show, titled Wonderful Friends, has sparked debate over whether appearing on television puts zoo animals in distress¹.

The debate over animal protection was fueled after the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums², an international organization with 300 zoos and aquariums from 50 countries, requested an immediate³ discontinuation of the program early last week.

What is the show about?

Topic3 Anyone Can Be A Psychological Counselor⁴ in ChinaIn today's competitive and past-paced society, more people are caving in under mounting pressure. Traditionally, Chinese people are not so willing to tell others their troubles and show needs for help, but nowadays more people are seeking help from counselors⁵ and psychiatrists⁶. This is a positive change, but due to the lack of regulations and the lucrativeness⁷ of the profession, the industry is full of traps, with all kinds of unqualified counselors who try to take the place of professional psychiatrists and medical doctors.

Is there a problem of unqualified counselors and psychiatrists?

Topic4 Budget diamondThanks to several highly publicized celebrity⁸ proposals like Zhang Ziyi's that highlight a glittering gemstone, a diamond ring is no longer just for the rich and famous.

However, not everyone has a budget spanning millions of yuan. For such people, affordable⁹ diamond outlets¹⁰ have become the solution.

Why is there a need for budget diamonds?

Topic5 Boys Gossip TooWhile everyone knows the stereotype¹¹ of teen girls who use vicious gossip and social rejection¹² to put down their rivals, a new study finds the same behavior is even more common in boys.

Do you agree?

1 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

2 aquariums   

n.养鱼缸，水族馆( aquarium的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Biotope aquariums represent the natural environments of ornamental fish. 生态鱼缸表现出观赏鱼的自然生活环境。 来自互联网
• There are aquariums in many cities in the world. 世界上好多城市有水族馆。 来自互联网

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

5 counselors   

n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师

参考例句：

• Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

6 psychiatrists   

n.精神病专家，精神病医生( psychiatrist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They are psychiatrists in good standing. 他们是合格的精神病医生。 来自辞典例句
• Some psychiatrists have patients who grow almost alarmed at how congenial they suddenly feel. 有些精神分析学家发现，他们的某些病人在突然感到惬意的时候几乎会兴奋起来。 来自名作英译部分

7 lucrativeness   

参考例句：

8 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

9 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

10 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 stereotype   

n.固定的形象，陈规，老套，旧框框

参考例句：

• He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
• There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。

12 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。