英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable1215 - 本土科技品牌更靠谱?

 Topic1: China likely to raise tobacco taxes to reduce smokersChina is considering raising tobacco taxes and cigarette prices to reduce the number of smokers¹ in the country.

Yao Hongwen from the National Health and Family Planning Commission said at a press conference that the commission will work together with other agencies to push hard for a tax on tobacco so that, ultimately, public health can be protected.

Why do you think the authorities are announcing presumably a higher tax and price hike on tobacco is needed?

Topic2: One million lung cancer patients by 2025Estimates show that by 2025, China will have 1 million lung cancer patients, the largest in the world.

During the lung cancer awareness² campaign last month, medical experts are calling for more emphasis to be given to raising people's attention to the possible causes of the disease, and how it can be prevented.

The figure 1 million lung cancer patients alone is staggering enough to set off alerts, are we in danger? Topic3: Do we still need internet cafes?

With more Chinese consumers connecting to the Internet via smartphones or their personal computers every year, internet cafes in China are struggling to find success.

China has lately eased restrictions³ on the number of internet cafes legally allowed.

But will the move help internet cafes survive?

Topic4: Seniors prefer home-based old age careMore than 80% of elderly population in Beijing say they hope to have community or home based elder care, according to a report released by the China Research Center on Aging.

But the reality is less than 30% of the city's neighborhood communities are equipped with senior care facilities.

Why should we care? How big is the problem?

Topic5: Half of the nation happy to buy local technology brandAccording to a report from the United Kingdom research firm Mintel Group, over half the people in China now believe, domestically produced technology brands are as good as foreign ones, as well as offering better value for money.

Is this true?

Topic6: Telling truth in compositionWriting education in primary and middle schools has become a heated topic among citizens. An expert says students do not want to, and sometimes cannot tell the truth or express their own feelings in their composition. He points out that this is the fault of Chinese education.

Is there a problem in students' compositions?  

1 smokers   

吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。

2 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制