英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0624 - 世界杯和中国足球

 Topic 1: The World Cup & the Chinese FootballDespite the Chinese national team failing to qualify, again, the country is crazy about the World Cup.

Fans stay up late to watch games, some restless fans even died watching the World Cup. World Cup widows complain that they will be ignored by their husbands during the month-long event. Hardline fans buy sick leave notes online in order to watch the tournament, and some even have resigned simply to follow the matches.

While in Brazil, Chinese soccer reporters were asked by the locals, "what are you doing here if the Chinese national team is not here?"Why the craze?

Topic 2: Shanghai Metro¹ admits special access inadequateThe Shanghai Metro authority has recently admitted that access facilities for people with special requirements are inadequate² at older stations.

Accessibility for commuters with special requirements has been in the spotlight³ this week after 10 commuters were injured on an escalator at People's Square station last Wednesday, after a baby stroller became jammed at the top.

Is there a serious inadequacy⁴?

Topic 3 Can Physique Intervention⁵ Class Improve Kids' PostureA survey in Beijing shows that more than 80% students in the city have physique problems in writing, sitting and standing⁶ postures⁷, among which holding pens too low is the biggest one. To solve these problems, Beijing's primary and middle schools will promote a physique intervention course.

Is there a problem?

Topic 4:  Better cars=more girlsIn 2013, the national population census⁸ report shows that there are 11 million leftover⁹ men in China, referring to single guys in their 30s. If they all have a fancy sports car, things might be much easier.

Recently, an online program did an experiment that shows if a guy drives an expensive car and hits on girls, the success rate can be as high as 70%.

What is this show?

1 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

2 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

3 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

4 inadequacy   

n.无法胜任，信心不足

参考例句：

• the inadequacy of our resources 我们的资源的贫乏
• The failure is due to the inadequacy of preparations. 这次失败是由于准备不足造成的。

5 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 postures   

姿势( posture的名词复数 )； 看法； 态度； 立场

参考例句：

• Modern consciousness has this great need to explode its own postures. 现代意识很有这种摧毁本身姿态的需要。
• They instinctively gathered themselves into more tidy postures. 她们本能地恢复了端庄的姿态。

8 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

9 leftover   

n.剩货，残留物，剩饭；adj.残余的

参考例句：

• These narrow roads are a leftover from the days of horse-drawn carriages.这些小道是从马车时代沿用下来的。
• Wonder if that bakery lets us take leftover home.不知道那家糕饼店会不会让我们把卖剩的带回家。