英語角-圓桌會議 RoundTable1215 - 本土科技品牌更靠譜?

Topic1: China likely to raise tobacco taxes to reduce smokers China is considering raising tobacco taxes and cigarette prices to reduce the number of smokers in the country.

Yao Hongwen from the National Health and Family Planning Commission said at a press conference that the commission will work together with other agencies to push hard for a tax on tobacco so that, ultimately, public health can be protected.

Why do you think the authorities are announcing presumably a higher tax and price hike on tobacco is needed?

Topic2: One million lung cancer patients by 2025 Estimates show that by 2025, China will have 1 million lung cancer patients, the largest in the world.

During the lung cancer awareness campaign last month, medical experts are calling for more emphasis to be given to raising people's attention to the possible causes of the disease, and how it can be prevented.

The figure 1 million lung cancer patients alone is staggering enough to set off alerts, are we in danger?

Topic3: Do we still need internet cafes?

With more Chinese consumers connecting to the Internet via smart phones or their personal computers every year, internet cafes in China are struggling to find success.

China has lately eased restrictions on the number of internet cafes legally allowed.

But will the move help internet cafes survive?

Topic4: Seniors prefer home-based old age care More than 80% of elderly population in Beijing say they hope to have community or home based elder care, according to a report released by the China Research Center on Aging.

But the reality is less than 30% of the city's neighborhood communities are equipped with senior care facilities.

Why should we care? How big is the problem?

Topic5: Half of the nation happy to buy local technology brand According to a report from the United Kingdom research firm Mintel Group, over half the people in China now believe, domestically produced technology brands are as good as foreign ones, as well as offering better value for money.

Is this true?

Topic6: Telling truth in composition Writing education in primary and middle schools has become a heated topic among citizens. An expert says students do not want to, and sometimes cannot tell the truth or express their own feelings in their composition. He points out that this is the fault of Chinese education.

Is there a problem in students' compositions?