英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0331 - 80后的易碎婚姻

 Topic1 Zoo Keeper Death Triggers Concern on Zoo Animal WelfareLast week, a tiger killed a zookeeper in Yichun city, while the latter was cleaning the animal's enclosure. Following this tragedy, questions were asked about why the tiger would attack the person who had been taking care of it for 4 years. Further doubts were raised about the treatment of animals in many Chinese zoos.

What happened this time?

Topic2 HK universities suffer drop in mainland applicantsIt's been reported that the number of applicants¹ for Hong Kong universities from the Chinese mainland is in decline despite the expanded quota². Some universities have seen a yearly drop of 12 percent.

Is it happening? Why?

Topic3 More post-1980s choose to divorceChinese people born after the 1980s have become the biggest group of divorce cases in recent years.

New findings suggest that more women from that age bracket have taken the initiative to file for divorce.

What's the latest with divorce cases in China? Why do we care?

Topic4 Too Much Homework Bad for ChildrenChildren often complain that too much homework is bad for them - and now scientists have proved it.

Homework should take just 60 minutes for pupils to benefit most and results drop if it takes longer than 90 minutes, a new study has revealed.

Is too much homework really bad?

Topic5 Weird³ recruitment posterYangtze Evening News reporter has spoted a recruitment poster in Nanjing, in which requirement for each advertised post is somewhat quirky.

Is it weird?

1 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

2 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

3 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。