英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0218 - 中国人肉吃多了？

 Topic1 Are Housing Prices to Go Down?

After the Spring Festival, now there is a new round of debate about the home price in China? As usual, some believe the price will rise, while some others bet the opposite.

First of all, where is this debate coming from? Is there new evidence showing a possibility of market downturn?

Topic2 Should We Promote Revolutionary SongsRecently, a song on CCTV's Spring Festival gala sparks some controversy¹ on the internet. Let's have a listen. (clip)Named Paean² for Heroes, the song is about the Korea War in the 1950s. It leads to a debate of whether we should keep singing the revolutionary red songs or not.

Why do some people dislike these songs?

Topic3 Chinese consume too much food from animalsThe Chinese are lovers of food. It's a big part of the Chinese culture.

While China is the land where tofu was born, it's also no secret that the Chinese love eating meat.

Now a government guideline indicates Chinese people appear to be eating more food from animals than they actually need, and this "compensatory consumption of food" may not change until the 2020s.

How much do Chinese love eating meat?

Topic4 Beijing's Air Pollution Contingency³ PlanHeavy smog in Beijing lasting⁴ for days has triggered public criticism over the city government's inaction.

At 8am last Friday, Beijing environmental protection department announced Blue Alert, the lowest air pollution alert level.

At 9pm, the air quality index (AQI) in Beijing read between 445 and 624 that fall into the highest pollution level: hazardous⁵ pollution (301-500).

However, Beijing government didn't issue above-blue alert or take further actions.

Should the Beijing government have done something?

Topic5 Shanghai Plans to Limit Hailing of Taxi on StreetsShanghai municipal government has denied media reports that the city is going to ban hailing of taxi on the streets. But the local government did say it would take measures to reduce taxi hailing, including promoting taxi booking via app and phone call, and setting up more taxicab stands.

What does Shanghai government plan to do, and why?

Topic6 New Semester StartsThe new school semester has either already started or will soon arrive for China's millions of students, primary school pupils and university seniors alike.

Yet not everything new is exciting.

Many students and their parents find it hard to feel that way for all types of reasons.

What are they whining⁶ about?

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 paean   

n.赞美歌，欢乐歌

参考例句：

• She struck up the first paean on the grand piano.她开始在那架大钢琴上演奏起第一首颂歌。
• The novel is a paean to the end of empire.该小说奏响了一个帝国落寞的赞歌。

3 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。

4 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

5 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

6 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。