英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0605 - 人家大学的毕业礼物

 Topic1 Family farms encouragedThe Chinese capital city of Beijing has launched pilot programs of family farming in an attempt to boost the productivity and profitability of farmlands.

Family farms are being encouraged nationwide in order to avoid the loss of farm labor¹ to urbanization.

Will these family farms work out to fulfill² the expected mission?

Topic2 Taxi Hailing Platforms UnifiedThanks to a proposal from China's Ministry⁴ of Transport, taxi app startups that connect passengers with professional drivers might face their biggest blow yet.

The drafted regulation requires all the vehicle-hailing apps to be unified³ under a single platform and share data. Is this really a good idea?

Topic3 Guangxi Sells islandsOwning an island may be the dream for many. Two new rules recently publicized by Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous⁵ Region might help you make your dream come true. Media reports the cheapest island in this region is only 14 yuan per hectare.

What's happening? Is it true that anyone can be an island owner?

Topic4 HIV testing on freshmanA Henan province regulation requiring new college students to be tested for HIV is raising concerns over discrimination and privacy.

Officials later explained that the tests will be done on a totally voluntary basis and that the results will only be known by the test-takers themselves.

Is there a misunderstanding of the new policy? Are people's concerns valid⁶?

Topic5 College Boy Rewrites Song to Require Air-ConditioningRecently, a song named President Dong becomes very popular on the internet. Let's have a listen first.

(clip 1)This is actually an adaptation of the pop song Ms Dong. The writer and singer is a student of Beijing Normal University. And in the song, he asks for air-conditioners to be installed in dorms.

Is it a cute way of petitioning for something you want?

Topic6 Graduation SouvenirsCollege and university students are going to graduate soon. Some schools in China decided⁷ to give graduation gifts or souvenirs to their future alumni.

Why gifts? Are they necessary?

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

3 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。

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 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

6 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。