英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable1212 - 别让戚继光堵枪眼

 Topic1 40 percent of university students have roommate problemsA recent survey shows 40 percent of university students in China don't get along with their roommates.

According to the findings of MyCOS, an education consulting and research institute in Beijing, college girls, children of farmers and migrant workers as well as single children tend to have more roommate problems.

Is there a problem? Should we be worried?

Topic2 Wearing sandbags to school?

A primary school in Beijing has reportedly asked its fourth graders to wear sandbags around their ankles on campus every day.

While the school says the move aims to improve the students' physical fitness on a voluntary basis, parents argue these sandbags are bad for children's growth.

Does the school have a point?

Topic4 Should We Know About Qi Jiguang?

Beijing TV Station released an animated¹ cartoon named Qi Jiguang, presenting the national hero's life story. Before the cartoon was created, it launched a survey asking people who Qi Jiguang is.

Many respondents don't know about Qi Jiguang, while many others confused him with other historical figures with similar names or experiences such as Huang Jiguang and Zheng Chenggong.

Is it very bad that many people confuse these historical figures? Do you know all of them?

Topic5 People have no idea how many calories are in their foodThe US FDA has recently approved sweeping² new rules that will mandate³ calorie counts at many places where Americans eat out---chain restaurants, movie theaters, pizza joints⁴, vending⁵ machines and more. Here in China, where keeping fit has just become the new hot topic, is calorie count being given enough attention?

Do people know how many calories are in their food?

Topic6 Point deduction⁶ for marriage certificateRecently, a point deduction system for marriage certificate got really popular on social media. Netizens, especially females, would like to use this to restrain their husbands. However, many men are dissatisfied about it.

Do you think we need something like this in our marriage?

1 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

2 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

3 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

4 joints   

接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

5 vending   

v.出售（尤指土地等财产）( vend的现在分词 )；（尤指在公共场所）贩卖；发表（意见，言论）；声明

参考例句：

• Why Are You Banging on the Vending Machine? 你为什么敲打这台自动售货机？ 来自朗文快捷英语教程 2
• Coca-Cola had to adapt almost 300,000 vending machines to accept the new coins. 可口可乐公司必须使将近三十万台自动贩卖机接受新货币。 来自超越目标英语 第5册

6 deduction   

n.减除，扣除，减除额；推论，推理，演绎

参考例句：

• No deduction in pay is made for absence due to illness.因病请假不扣工资。
• His deduction led him to the correct conclusion.他的推断使他得出正确的结论。