英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable - 真人版葫芦娃会好看吗？

Topic1 Ma Yun responded single transaction amount slashConstruction Bank of China (CBC) on Saturday joined Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) and Bank of China (BoC) in slashing single transaction amount through Alipay.

CBC and ICBC slashed the limit amount for each transaction to CNY 5,000 from earlier CNY 50,000 while ABC and BoC lowered to CNY10, 000.

Ma Yun later showed support for Alipay saying Alipay is proud even though defeated, and that success should be decided by users themselves. Is this a success of the banks which want to strengthen their monopoly?

Topic2 GAPPRFT to Strengthens Checks on Online TV DramasFirst of all, let's have a listen to this. (clip1)This is from the American zombie drama the Walking Dead.

Thanks to the video websites, we can watch lots of foreign TV dramas now. However, recently after State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television issues a regulation, many media guess that some of the most popular TV dramas, including the Walking Dead, will be banned in China.

Is the media guess close to truth?

Topic3 Live Action of Calabash BrothersAccording to a TV series shooting plan published by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China, Calabash Brothers, a 1986 Chinese animation, will be turned into a 40 episode live action TV series. (clip2)The production company, Shanxi Xiao Huo Ban Movie Company, says it also plans to turn animated short film Magic Brush(神笔马良) and The Sage of Mount Lao(崂山道士) into real person TV series.

Is it good news? Or shall we worry about classic Chinese cartoons being ruined?

Topic4 Gaokao ReformLu Xin, vice-minister of education, says that China will establish two different tests in the National College Entrance Examination, or Gaokao. One test is for technically inclined students and one for academic ones.

The test for technically inclined students will be for prospective students of vocational training colleges who are aiming for careers such as engineering and mechanics. This exam will test mainly the students' technical skills and their textbook knowledge as a supplement.

The exams for academic students will test only the students' knowledge from schooling.

For decades, China only has exam for academic students. Will this addition help?

Topic5 Parents Disagree on Signing on Children's Homework or notParents of some primary school students in Beijing are no longer asked to sign on the homework assigned by their teachers.

While some parents breathe a sigh of relief, others find it hard to accept the reality of not being able to see the homework of their children any more.

Is the change necessary?

Topic6 E-Cards Track and Record Students' Extra-curricular ActivitiesPrimary and middle school students in Shanghai will be equipped with electronic student ID cards in the new spring semester, through which their after-school activities and social practices will be tracked to build personal growth records.

What is the goal of this?