英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0303 - 故宫要涨价你还去吗？

 Topic1 China To Unify¹ Two Pension AccountsRecently, the State Council announced that the country will build a fair, unified² and standardized³ pension system for its rural and urban population before 2020.

Then the Ministry⁴ of Human Resources and Social Security and Ministry of Finance issued a detailed⁵ regulation to merge⁶ the pension accounts of rural and urban residents.

What do these new moves tell us?

Topic2 China plans modern vocational educationThe State Council, China's cabinet has outlined measures to strengthen vocational education in the country.

The measures include giving vocational schools more independence and developing a talent cultivation⁷ mechanism⁸ under which schools and the enterprises jointly⁹ recruit and teach students.

A recent State Council meeting agreed that developing the program is a strategic move for economic transformation¹⁰ and improvement of people's wellbeing.

What's the current situation with vocational education in China? Is it not enough to cope with demand for talents?

Topic3 Two Sessions Provide Bottled Water on a Real-name BasisAt this year's two sessions, a name system will be introduced for bottled water offered to National People's Congress deputies and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Why is this being done?

Topic4 Credit Card DiscriminationWhen some Chinese have more than two credit cards in hand, others complain their credit card application has met with discrimination towards their occupation.

People working in bathing centers as massage¹¹ therapists in different places have been recently turned down multiple times by different banks when they tried to apply for a credit card.

Is it discrimination or banks' reasonable discretion¹²?

Topic5 Entry ticket of Forbidden City will adjustForbidden City or The Palace Museum is a must-visit site for both domestic and foreign tourists. In 2012, the museum received 15.3 million visitors, about over 40,000 tourists per day.

In an effort to attract tourists from peak season to off season, the museum now is considering widen gap between the two seasons' ticket prices.

Is it necessary?

Topic6 Singing BeggarsPhotos about a group of beggars in Shanghai subway train shocked web users with their very complicated begging equipment.

Usually beggars who sing songs only carry a small loudspeaker, but three female beggars in this picture are pushing a handcart on which there is a huge loudspeaker, two microphones and a laptop used to adjust the sound effect. When one of the beggars sings, the other two collect money from passengers.

Is this too much?

1 unify   

vt.使联合，统一；使相同，使一致

参考例句：

• How can we unify such scattered islands into a nation?我们怎么才能把如此分散的岛屿统一成一个国家呢？
• It is difficult to imagine how the North and South could ever agree on a formula to unify the divided peninsula.很难想象南北双方在统一半岛的方案上究竟怎样才能达成一致。

2 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

3 standardized   

adj.标准化的

参考例句：

• We use standardized tests to measure scholastic achievement. 我们用标准化考试来衡量学生的学业成绩。
• The parts of an automobile are standardized. 汽车零件是标准化了的。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

6 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。

7 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

8 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

9 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

10 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

11 massage   

n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据

参考例句：

• He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
• Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。

12 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。