英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0226 - 水污染比雾霾还严重吗？

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The plan is still being finalized¹ but the budget has been set, exceeding the 1.7 trillion yuan 277 billion US dollars China plans to spend battling its more-publicized air pollution crisis.

Are we having a bigger problem with water pollution than air pollution?

Is there a crisis? And is the crisis more severe than air pollution, as many are saying right now?

Topic2 Man Sues Government Over SmogFor the past 4 days, weather departments have issued orange alert for the thick and choking smog in Hebei. Many people in the provincial² capital Shijiazhuang are getting used to it, while one man decides to stand out. The man, Li Guixin is trying to sue the local government over high levels of air pollution.

Why is he suing?

Topic3 Public Service Vehicles ReformRecently China's liquor producing giant Wuliangye Corporation put its 343 business cars on a four-day auction³ worth a total of 30.03 million yuan.

In fact many local governments and state-owned enterprises have begun to auction off their cars since the central authorities announced rules on official car reform last November. But recently a Xinhua report suggests there're various problems and loopholes during the reform.

Are there problems with the auction of public service cars?

Topic4 Expats' Life Inconvenient⁴ in ChinaHow inconvenient is it for foreigners who don't speak Chinese to live in China? This is a topic suggested by our WeChat listener Jigar.

He is from India and has lived in China for 10 years. Jigar has a suggestion for China's telecom companies. He said: they don't have English accessible option for simple service such as missed call, data packages and etc. If they can provide these services, the foreigners can benefit and these companies' revenues would also increase.

Do you think he has a point?

Topic5 Diploma MillThe Center for China & Globalization, aka CCG, recently warns that 95% of fake diplomas issued by unaccredited institutions and bogus colleges in the United States were issued to Chinese.

Are people being tricked, or is there an actual need for fake diplomas?

Topic6 Wuhan school's new anti-myopia desksZhanglin Elementary School in Wuhan recently adopts new anti-myopia desks for 42 students.

The new desks are mostly the same as normal ones except there is an orange iron bar fixed⁵ on each desktop⁶. When students are reading books, they push the bar to the furthest end and make sure books could touch the bar in order to keep enough distance from eyes. When students are writing, they pull the bar towards them and put it under their necks/chins, so they can't lower their heads and get too close to books.

Some applaud for the school's effort on myopia prevention and some doubt its effect. Is it effective?

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