英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0127 - 关于马桶的终极之问：坐，还是蹲？

 Topic1 China Prisons Under Scrutiny¹ After Inmate² Extorts³ Sex From WomenChina's management of its prisons has been thrown into the spotlight⁴ after news reports detailing how an inmate extorted⁵ money and sex from women he met via mobile phone prompted national attention.

The People's Daily said on its Weibo account that the incident at Nehe Prison showed the need to improve prison supervision⁶.

Is there a problem with Chinese prisons?

Topic2 Chinese trains prove a strain for foreignersAs the annual Spring Festival travel peak is just around the corner, an expert says rail companies need to improve the service they offer to foreign travelers.

According to Yang Hao, a professor in rail transportation management at Beijing Jiaotong University, support services for foreigners, including ticket sales and ID checks, need to be upgraded to match China's rising status on the world stage.

Is there a problem?

Topic3 China to Start Toilet RevolutionTourists will no longer have to hold their breath when visiting the toilets at certain attractions in China as the country promises a "toilet revolution" to improve standards.

More than half a million tour site toilets will be either built up or renovated⁷ within the next 3 years, all reaching "3-star" standards.

How big is China's toilet problem, especially in tour sites?

Topic4 Grandmas are fashionable kids killersHave you ever considered sending your kids back to live with their grandparents? Maybe you should rethink that.

Recently, a post titled "Grandmas are 'killers⁸' of fashionable kids" has been widely circulated on WeChat and Sina Weibo. Mainly consisting of pictures depicting⁹ the stark¹⁰ contrast between what children look like when living with their parents and what they look like after being taken care of by their grandparents. The post shows how children can be completely transformed when they fall into their grandparents' hands.

Is it a big transformation¹¹ of the kids, so to speak, as they get a "fashion makeover" at the grandparents'?

1 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

2 inmate   

n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人

参考例句：

• I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
• The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。

3 extorts   

v.敲诈( extort的第三人称单数 )；曲解

参考例句：

• Michael extorts a confession from his brother-in-law before having him killed. Michael在杀他的姐夫时，强迫对方忏悔。 来自互联网
• He doesn't do his job well, he just extorts money. 他不办实事，就知道搂钱！ 来自互联网

4 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

5 extorted   

v.敲诈( extort的过去式和过去分词 )；曲解

参考例句：

• The gang extorted money from over 30 local businesses. 这帮歹徒向当地30多户商家勒索过钱财。
• He extorted a promise from me. 他硬要我答应。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

7 renovated   

翻新，修复，整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He renovated his house. 他翻修了房子。
• The house has been renovated three years earlier. 这所房子三年前就已翻新。

8 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

9 depicting   

描绘，描画( depict的现在分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• a painting depicting the Virgin and Child 一幅描绘童贞马利亚和圣子耶稣的画
• The movie depicting the battles and bloodshed is bound to strike home. 这部描写战斗和流血牺牲的影片一定会取得预期效果。

10 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

11 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。