No.13 Should the seniors retire at 65 years old? Some arefor it, but others are against it. Discuss both of them and give your opinion. 老人是否应在65岁退休?
　　话题解析
　　赞成的老年人退休的理由
　　1) 充分发挥老年人的人力资源优势(fully take advantage of the abundant interpersonal resources)
　　2) 降低企业雇佣中高龄劳工的工本(reduce the high cost of employ middle-aged and senior workers)
　　3) 减轻越来越大的基本养老保险基金的支付压力(relieve thestress of covering the increasing amount of pensions)
　　反对老年人退休的理由
　　1) 会导致老人延后获得退休金给付甚至无法获得退休金给付 (delaythe payment of retirement pensions)
　　2) 不利于青年人才的成长 (is unfavorable for thegrowth of young employees )
　　3) 延长退休年龄并不能从根本上解决国家养老金和人口老龄化的问题 (cannotsolve the aging problem and pensions allocation from the root cause)
　　4) 波及高素质人才培养和高校的发展战略 (cause negativeinfluence on the cultivation of high-quality talents )
　　5) 许多人希望早点退休后好好享受生活，颐养天年 (many seniorworkers want to retire as early as possible to enjoy the retired life)
　　更多扩展
　　退休生活retired life
　　人力资源 interpersonal resources
　　高素质人才highly-qualified staff
　　养老金pensions

　　No.14 Some people say that professional workers such as doctors, nurses and teachers makegreater contribution. So they should be paid more than those sport andentertainment persons. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 一些人认为专业人士比如医生护士和老师对社会贡献大，收入应该比体育娱乐明星多，是否同意?
　　话题解析
　　不合理
　　运动员和明星具有高额的收入(sports professionals, film stars, pop musicians are paid huge salaries)，相比之下，教师、护士及研究人员收入平平(teachers, nurses,laboratory researchers are never listed among the best-paid professionals)，甚至是科学家(research scientists)和政治家(leading politicians)都无法企及，因此很多人觉得他们赚钱容易(earn their fortunes so quickly)。他们与默默无私奉献的其它职业之间的收入的差异是不合理的(The gaps between their earnings and those of people who work less selfishly for the good ofsociety cannot be justified)。很多位社会做贡献的职业也应该(be muchbetter appreciated and better paid)。
　　合理
　　高收入反映的是体育的一种公众流行程度(public popularity)。拥有真正天赋的职业运动员数量极少(thenumber of professionals with real talent is very few)，薪酬体现了对于为成功而必须拥有的技能和贡献的认可(the money is a recognition of the skills and dedication)。相对短暂的职业生涯里(in their relatively short career)，职业巅峰期短暂(don’thold their top positions long)，很快就会被人取代(be replaced)。竞争无处不在(Competition is constant)来自媒体的压力很大(Thepressure from the media is intense)，几乎无隐私可言(there islittle privacy out of the spotlight)。
　　更多扩展
　　公众流行程度public popularity
　　竞争无处不在Competition is constant
　　对技能和贡献的认可a recognition of the skills and dedication
　　收入差异the gap between their income
　　几乎无隐私可言there is little privacy out of the spotlight

　　No.15 Millions of dollars are spent on space research every year. Some peopleargue that the money should be spent on improving living standards on earth. Doyou agree or disagree. 政府是否应该投资外太空
　　话题解析
　　支持太空探索的观点：
　　地球上的资源是有限的，迟早会被消耗完(finite andexhaustible )，因此需要开拓太空上的能源(open energy and materialresources of space for human benefit );促进经济增长(supporteconomic growth )，使商业更加繁荣(an increase in businessactivity );
　　人口增长导致地球承载压力加大(cause the usablespace to shrink )，因此太空探索有利于为人类找到一个新的居住地(find asanctuary);
　　有利于环境考察(environmental monitoring )，有利于收集人类生存环境(living environment )的数据，比如天气预报(weatherforecasting)、环境保护和可持续发展(sustainable development )等相关数据;
　　提高一些产业的科学竞争力(technologicalcompetitiveness )，特别在国际商业领域(in international business )，创造人力资源和高级别的专业技术(human capital and high-level expertise);可以增加年轻人对自然科学的兴趣(arouse the interest of young people in natural sciences )。
　　反对太空探索的观点：
　　需要长期的努力和大量资金(long-term andstrenuous commitments and a large sum of funding )，大部分国家支付不起(unaffordable to most countries )，这些资金应该用于解决一些更实际的问题，比如饥荒(famine ),疾病(霍乱cholera ['kɒlərə]，)等;
　　很多项目收效甚微(make little progress)，甚至被证明是徒劳无益的(taxing 费力的，繁重的and unrewarding )。
　　更多扩展
　　导致地球承载压力加大(causethe usable space to shrink
　　饥荒(famine ),疾病(霍乱cholera ['kɒlərə]，)
　　人力资源和高级别的专业技术(humancapital and high-level expertise)
　　长期的努力和大量资金(long-termand strenuous commitments and a large sum of funding

　　No.16 Some people think the success of life is based on hard work anddetermination but others think there are more important factors like money orpersonal appearance. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. 成功取决于努力和决心还是财富、外形等其他因素。
　　话题解析
　　努力和决心
　　努力和决心是获得幸福和成功的无法避免的一条途径。没有坚持努力，就不能获得好的回报，这一点是毋庸置疑的。
　　Hard work and determination are aninevitable pathway to gain happiness and accomplishment. Undeniably, withoutpersistent efforts, a profitable return can fail to gain.
　　财富和外形
　　财富和外形也被认为是个人成功的重要因素。财富可以带来安全感和幸福，而漂亮的外表有助于找到理想的伴侣。
　　Wealth and physical features are alsoconsidered significant elements for success in individual life. Wealth canbring security and happiness, while charming appearances can bring preferablepartners.
　　更多扩展
　　获得幸福和成功gain happiness andaccomplishment
　　好的回报 a profitable return
　　毋庸置疑地 Undeniably
　　外形 physical features
　　安全感 security

　　No.17 Somepeople think zoos are cruel and all the zoos should be closed. However, somepeople think zoos are useful to protect the rare animals. Discuss both viewsand give your opinion.一些人认为动物园是很残忍的应该关闭，另外一些人认为动物园可以帮助保护动物。讨论双方观点并给出自己的观点。
　　话题解析
　　正方
　　1) 在人工环境下保护动物是动物园的主要目的(Protecting animals in artificial environment is the main purpose of zoos.)。动物, 特别是珍稀动物rare animals 在灭绝(die out)前正面临被保护的迫切需要(in urgent need of )。
　　2) 动物园也可作为⼈们对动物属性和生存条件的教育基地 (Zoos also function as places wherepeople can be educated about the attributes of animals and specific conditionsin which they can survive.)。 动物园也发挥了科研的重要作用。
　　3) 在动物园里, 科学家们可以对动物进行持续和有系统的实验(conduct continuousand systematic experiment) , 看看他们在什么样的条件下可以住得舒适。这有助于保护珍惜动物免遭灭绝。
　　反方
　　出于娱乐人类目的的动物园没有存在的理由。人类为了欣赏动物的萌态，强行把他们抓进动物园，保存多物种，这对动物所产生的身体和尊严伤害是可耻的。
　　更多扩展
　　进行持续和有系统的实验conduct continuous and systematic experiment
　　珍稀动物rare animals
　　灭绝die out
　　迫切需要in urgent need of