英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0521 - 迪斯尼开个店怎么那么大吸引力？

 Topic1 Yiwu takes pioneering step on opening China's taxi marketThe eastern Chinese city of Yiwu has lately announced it would gradually give up quotas¹ for taxi numbers.

The city has also vowed² to support Uber-like taxi-hailing apps, which been a topic of controversy³ in the city, with local authorities fighting to keep the market as it is.

What's the plan there? Is it very different from the current system?

Topic2 Tianya and Forums⁵ Struggle to Stay RelevantThe once-popular online forum⁴ Tianya decides to go public on the on the New Third Board. The irony⁶ here is if the news is not released on weibo, people might hardly notice it.

Tianya, along with a number of other forum websites such as mop.com and xici.net, has been on the decline in recent years due to rising competition from social media.

Do you still use internet forums now?

Topic3 China's Tourism Competitiveness UpChina has been regarded as one of most charismatic tourism destinations in the world. Recently, a report from the World Economic Forum indicates that China jumps 28 positions in a global tourism competitiveness ranking.

Is it good news? Can we trust the results?

Topic4 Largest Disney Store Opens in ShanghaiThe countdown to lift-off for Shanghai Disney Resort begins in earnest on Wednesday with the opening of its flagship Shanghai store, the first of its kind on the mainland and the biggest in the world.

The Shanghai Disney Resort is scheduled to open next spring.

How crazy is the first day?

1 quotas   

（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派

参考例句：

• In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
• Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。

2 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

3 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

4 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

5 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

6 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。