英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0416 - 一个人生活，why not?

 Topic 1: Internet SpeedThese days, whenever we enter a new place, whether office, hotel, or just a friends house the first question weask is: Is there wifi?

According to Chinese Premier¹ Li Keqiang, the reason we ask this question is because the mobile internet is tooexpensive. Now he is calling for faster speeds and lower costs.

Topic 2: Is Beijing a heaven or hell for dream makers²?

A popular Wechat post has described what it is like living and working in Beijing with an 8,000yuan monthly income: after paying for social insurances, rent, meals, social activities and parentsliving expenses, 384.9 yuan is all that's left.

People's Daily then carries an opinion piece saying while we are humanpossessions; we shouldn't just talk about money all the time.

Topic 3: Stay Single for LifeIs it possible to live happily in China if totally single your entire life? If you ask this question acouple of years ago, you are highly likely to get many negative answers. The good news is theworld is changing, with more people in China's cities staying single for longer.

Topic 4: Taxi hailing service Didi Kuaidi to enter designated driver marketThe recently merged³ Didi Kuaidi, which operates taxi hailing apps in China, is set to expand intothe designated driver business.

According to the Guangzhou-based 21st Century Business Herald⁴, this market is expected to growto 50 billion yuan (US$8.04 billion) in five years.

Topic 5: School puts brakes on student bike privilegesStudents at a Guangdong Province school used to riding their bikes to class are in for a switch ingears.

Shunde Hope Primary School in Liannan county is one of a number of local schools restrictingstudents from biking to and from campus unless they pass a road safety class.

1 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 merged   

（使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中

参考例句：

• Turf wars are inevitable when two departments are merged. 两个部门合并时总免不了争争权限。
• The small shops were merged into a large market. 那些小商店合并成为一个大商场。

4 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。