英语角-圆桌会议RoundTable0627 - 《哈利波特》20岁啦！

 　　Topic1-The Culture of Tutoring in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Chinese Mainland

　　They strike glamorous¹ poses in posters in shopping malls and on the sides of buses in Hong Kong. But they are not movie stars or supermodels: they are Hong Kong's A-list "tutor kings" and "tutor queens", offering pupils a chance to improve mediocre² grades. Hong Kong Special Administrative³ Region has an established booming tutoring industry. How is that different from the tutor industry in the Chinese Mainland and other regions in Asia?

　　While children in the Chinese mainland are complaining that they have to attend so many after-school tutoring sessions, the truth is, things were not exactly easy for kids in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Taiwan region, or even students from Asia in general. So, let’s compare the extra-curricular training course in these different places.

　　Topic2-Harry⁴ Potter Turns 20

　　This June marks the 20th anniversary of J.K. Rowling’s "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone," the first in a series of one of the most beloved stories of the modern era that spawned⁵ the wildly popular film franchise⁶, a play, and multiple theme parks. Harry Potter Turns 20~!

1 glamorous   

adj.富有魅力的；美丽动人的；令人向往的

参考例句：

• The south coast is less glamorous but full of clean and attractive hotels.南海岸魅力稍逊，但却有很多干净漂亮的宾馆。
• It is hard work and not a glamorous job as portrayed by the media.这是份苦差，并非像媒体描绘的那般令人向往。

2 mediocre   

adj.平常的，普通的

参考例句：

• The student tried hard,but his work is mediocre. 该生学习刻苦，但学业平庸。
• Only lazybones and mediocre persons could hanker after the days of messing together.只有懒汉庸才才会留恋那大锅饭的年代。

3 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

4 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

5 spawned   

（鱼、蛙等）大量产（卵）( spawn的过去式和过去分词 )； 大量生产

参考例句：

• The band's album spawned a string of hit singles. 这支乐队的专辑繁衍出一连串走红的单曲唱片。
• The computer industry has spawned a lot of new companies. 由于电脑工业的发展，许多新公司纷纷成立。

6 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。