英语角-圆桌会议 RoundTable0105 - 红红的枸杞火火火了！

Topic 1-24 Solar Terms added to UNESCO's heritage list

 

China's Twenty-four Solar Terms have been added to UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. While some believe it's an opportune¹ time to learn more about traditions and customs passed down by our predecessors², others are wondering does this ancient tradition from the agrarian³ Chinese civilization still have relevance⁴ today?

 

Today we enter Minor⁵ Cold, the 23rd solar term which signals we've arrived at the coldest period of the Chinese lunar year.

 

Topic 2-Goji berries ancient remedy finds new popularity

 

Goji berries, a plant used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for hundreds if not thousands of years, has been widely used by Chinese people in cooking, tea, and medicine. What comes as a surprise is its newly found popularity on social media in the US. Goji Berries are becoming the new superfood. What "magical" powers does it have?

 

Topic 3-Magic tool to make the noise for the noise

 

There goes an old adage⁶, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The latest illustration of that sentiment is one could purchase online a noise-making machine to fight the excessive noise your neighbor is making.

 

Is taking revenge on your bad neighbor the way to fix a problem?                 

1 opportune   

adj.合适的，适当的

参考例句：

• Her arrival was very opportune.她来得非常及时。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

2 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 agrarian   

adj.土地的，农村的，农业的

参考例句：

• People are leaving an agrarian way of life to go to the city.人们正在放弃农业生活方式而转向城市。
• This was a feature of agrarian development in Britain.这是大不列颠土地所有制发展的一个特征。

4 relevance   

n.中肯，适当，关联，相关性

参考例句：

• Politicians' private lives have no relevance to their public roles.政治家的私生活与他们的公众角色不相关。
• Her ideas have lost all relevance to the modern world.她的想法与现代社会完全脱节。

5 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

6 adage   

n.格言，古训

参考例句：

• But the old adage that men grow into office has not proved true in my experience.但是，根据我的经验，人们所谓的工作岗位造就人材这句古话并不正确。
• Her experience lends credence to the adage " We live and learn!"她的经验印证了一句格言: 活到老，学到老！