英語角-圓桌會議 RoundTable - 漫天飛絮，浪漫Or 煩人

Topic1 Local Governments Tries to Save Housing Market. Last week, Tongling city in Anhui province unveils the country's latest measures to aid the real estate industry. So far, at least 6 cities in the country have rolled out measures to encourage home purchases.

What's going on?

Topic2 Infertility Plagues Chinese. As some couples consider whether to have a second child amid the recent relaxation of China's family planning policy, many are finding that having even a single child is beyond their grasp.

Infertility has already become China's third most serious health condition after cancer and cardiovascular diseases in terms of its complex causes, prevalence and impact.

How serious is the problem?

Topic3 Chinese Textbooks Not Hard. We always say that what Chinese students learn in school is much more difficult and complicated than that taught to foreign students. We have mixed feelings about this, for eg, some discontent, some helplessness, and also, some pride.

However, a recent survey shows that the textbooks used in our compulsory education are just of medium difficulty level if compared to other countries. Many net users find it is a lot of take.

Is this conclusion accurate? How did they come to it?

Topic4 China removes price cap for low-cost medicinesChina's top economic planner and regulator says the country will scrap4 caps on retail prices for low-cost medicine.

Over 500 drugs considered to be essential for public health will now be officially classified as "low-priced" drugs and sold for standard rates.

The move will allow producers to set prices according to their production costs.

Is there a need for change?

Topic5 Catkin-control scheme sparks row. When it's the annual catkins season, the flying fluffywhite stuff can be beautiful to some and irritating to others.

A scheme in Shanghai's Putuo District to stop poplar, phoenix and willow trees producing catkins that can cause allergic9 reactions in people has met with a mixed response.

Do you find it annoying or entertaining?

Is there a problem?

1 infertility

n.不肥沃，不毛;不育

參考例句：

It is the Geneva, Switzerland-based Biotech Company's second recombinant infertility drug. 它是瑞士生物技術公司在日內(nèi)瓦的公司生產(chǎn)的第二種重組治療不孕癥的藥。 來自英漢非文學 - 生命科學 - 生物技術制藥疫苗

Endometritis is a cause of infertility. 子宮內(nèi)膜炎是不育的原子。 來自辭典例句

2 relaxation

n.松弛，放松;休息;消遣;娛樂

參考例句：

The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部長一向反對法律上的任何放寬。

She listens to classical music for relaxation.她聽古典音樂放松。

3 compulsory

n.強制的，必修的;規(guī)定的，義務的

參考例句：

Is English a compulsory subject?英語是必修課嗎?

Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.義務教育至16歲為止。

4 scrap

n.碎片;廢料;v.廢棄，報廢

參考例句：

A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有個男人定時來收廢品。

Sell that car for scrap.把那輛汽車當殘品賣了吧。

5 retail

v./n.零售;adv.以零售價格

參考例句：

In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.這家鋪子零售香煙和糖果。

These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.這些鞋子零賣10元一雙。

6 fluffy

adj.有絨毛的，空洞的

參考例句：

Newly hatched chicks are like fluffy balls.剛孵出的小雞像絨毛球。

The steamed bread is very fluffy.饅頭很暄。

7 phoenix

n.鳳凰，長生(不死)鳥;引申為重生

參考例句：

The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.這家航空公司又起死回生了。

The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中國鳳崇拜是靈物崇拜而非圖騰崇拜。

8 willow

n.柳樹

參考例句：

The river was sparsely lined with willow trees.河邊疏疏落落有幾棵柳樹。

The willow's shadow falls on the lake.垂柳的影子倒映在湖面上。

9 allergic

adj.過敏的，變態(tài)的

參考例句：

Alice is allergic to the fur of cats.艾麗斯對貓的皮毛過敏。

Many people are allergic to airborne pollutants such as pollen.許多人對空氣傳播的污染物過敏，比如花粉。