英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable - 语音助手沦为被调戏对象

Topic1 Retirement IndexA latest report released by Tsinghua University Employment and Social Insurance Research Center aggravates people's worry on whether China is ready to tackle rapidly worsening aging population problem.

There were 194 million people over 60 years old in China by the end of 2012; the figure is estimated to reach 243 million in 2020 and surpass 300 million by 2025.

How can we define whether a country is ready to tackle the problems of an aging society?

Topic2 Award to parents who give up second childThis week, Beijing Municipal Commission of Population and Family Planning finally publicized the new amendment of family planning policy, allowing couples to have a second child if either of the parents is an only child.

The amendment stipulates that couples who are eligible but volunteer to give up the second child quota in written form will receive 500 yuan award respectively.

Why? Is it necessary?

Topic3 Chinese Have Too Many Credit CardsEach Chinese net user has an average of 1.7 credit cards at the end of last year as a growing number turn to non-cash transactions. This is according to a central bank report on China's banking payment services.

Is that too many?

Topic4 Apple sues over patent rightsApple is suing a Chinese government agency and a domestic company over patent rights for its "Siri" personal assistant.

Apple launched the case against the State Intellectual Property Office, which is in charge of patent rights protection in China, and Shanghai's Zhizhen Network Technology, which developed software similar to Siri.

The Beijing Number one Intermediate People's Court is set to hear the case on Thursday, although there is no indication that the court will make a final ruling at the time.

What's the case?

Topic5 Universities Delay New Semester for Debt TroubleFor most college students in China, a new year of learning begins right after the Lantern Festival. However, now it's already 10 days after the festival, some universities in Shandong still let their students stay at home. The schools explain that this will save them millions of yuan.

Is that why are they doing this, to save money?

Topic6 School cancels classes due to smog, authorities demand they resumeThe persistent smog is finally gone this morning after lingering in Beijing for almost a week.

But for the residents of the capital city and others in northern China, there is a lot to review about making plans for the smog and dealing with severe air pollution.

A high school in Beijing suspended classes for junior high school students on Tuesday amid an orange air pollution alert for heavy smog, then local education authorities required the school to resume classes.

Is the requirement justified?