21世纪英文报

Appendix 1:

1. Parents pick up on

social media

Would you add your

parents on WeChat? This

has become one of the

biggest questions facing

young Chinese in an age of

*unprecedented digital

interconnectedness. In

a poll conducted by the

Huashang Bao newspaper

in Xi’an, 17 of 40 young

people polled said they

have added their parents

on WeChat, but 14

blocked them from seeing

their “friends’ circles” -- a

space where friends can

share pictures and posts

with one another. Of the

20 parents polled, 12 have added their children on WeChat but only could see his or her ch ild’s *updates.

The other 11 parents had

been blocked by their kids from having access to their friends’

circles despite being able to send them messages on WeChat.

Some children say they’re not comfortable with their parents combing through their everyday activities and photos, as their parents either don’t approve of the things they do for fun, or would constantly worry over what they consider unsafe or inappropriate behavior. Others say their friends’ circles are for friends of a similar age with simila r

interests, and their parents wouldn’t understand. However, some say parents’ feelings would be hurt if they discovered their children

restricted their access to this part of their social life.

So, what is your opinion? Should young people share their

everyday activities with their parents through social media

like WeChat?

Yes.

Some young people are blocking their parents on social media. QUANJING

Young people can be friends with their parents.

1. Social media is an efficient and informal way for children to keep in touch with their parents. Regular phone calls are still necessary, but with social media parents can keep current on their children’s daily activities, and nothing pleases parents more than that.

2. Children often underestimate their parents’ tech *savvy. Not only are many parents on social media like WeChat, many are also surprisingly understanding of young people’s thinking and lifestyles. Before automatically blocking their parents from their friends’ circles, young people should think twice.

3. Many children have difficult relationships with their parents. Social media represents an opportunity to *reboot those relationships. By treating each other as friends and equals on social media, families can overcome any previous sour feelings and work to rebuild their relationships.

No.

The generation gap can’t b e *underestimated.

1. Just as we block colleagues, bosses, teachers and others we don’t know very well on social media, many young people block their parents because they don’t share the same views. The generation gap is a natural phenomenon and there is nothing wrong with that.

2. Many Chinese parents are in the habit of worrying about every little thing their children do, which can hurt relationships. Social media would only worsen this problem, allowing parents to keep tabs on their kids’ every move.

3. Most young adults desire independence from their parents. Kids need to make their own choices. Barring their parents on social media allows kids room to grow and build the self-confidence necessary to have a successful life.

2. Students must train mind and body

A recent *amended regulation issued by the Ministry of Education has left hundreds of thousands of college graduates this year worried about their future. Under this new policy, university graduates must pass all test items in a physical examination by their graduation, or they will not be issued graduation certificates by their universities. The last version of the regulation, amended in 2007, required students to pass a certain number of tests, but some of them such as pull-ups, sit-ups and 1km or 800m runs, are optional items which could be replaced by easier tests at a students’ request.This year’s amendment made all of these tests *mandatory. Many graduates are worried that they cannot pass the more demanding physical tests and therefore won’t be able to get proper certificates to get jobs or pursue further studies.

While supporters of the new policy say that health and physical strength are a key factor for a young person’s future success, and point to the worrying decline in the health of many college graduates, opponents insist it is not necessary to *withhold graduation certificates from those who fail to pass their physical exams.

So, what is your opinion? Should college students be banned from graduating if they cannot pass mandatory physical exams?

Yes.

College graduates need to have a healthy and strong body.

1. The purpose of the new policy is not to bar the graduation of college students, but to encourage them to do more exercise and improve their health. They will not be adequately prepared for the *rigors of starting a career or more studies if they are not healthy and physically strong.

2. Many young people give in to unhealthy lifestyles in college, which results in bad health. If physical exams also become optional, there is very little *incentive for students to improve their lifestyle and health on their own. Only mandatory exams could force them into action.

3. Physical exams are just like any other exam in college students’ studies. Without passing them all they cannot graduate, it is as simple as that. Students should just think of a strong and healthy body as another important goal to achieve.

No.

Physical strength is not the most important thing for a college graduate.

1. There are many other ways for universities to improve their students’ health and physical strength, instead of just *slapping mandatory exams on them and withholding graduating certificates from those who can’t pass these exams.

2. College graduates these days are under huge pressure to achieve high academic scores, apply for further studies or hunt for a promising job. Artificially setting another *hurdle for them in the form of physical exams is unfair to these stressed young people.

3. Some students may not be entirely healthy or physically fit by the time they graduate, but they have learned key knowledge and skills

which qualify them for careers or further academic training; physical education shouldn’t become a hurdle.

3. Approved for all?

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Some movie theaters are experimenting with their own ratings systems to better serve moviegoers. QUANJING

Film ratings have long been a controversial topic in China. Various industry analysts, artist groups and government authorities have expressed support over the years for a rating system like the one in the United States, but so far no development has been made in terms of government regulations or laws. However, encouraged by popular demand and *frustrated over the lack of laws or regulations, some movie theaters have tried to introduce such a system voluntarily.

The latest such move occurred in Urumqi, Xinjiang. The China Film International Theater has introduced two ratings for all films shown there: “general” for films fit for all age groups; “special guidance” for those containing violent, bloody and frightening scenes, which are off-limits to viewers under 13. The theater *enforces the policy by checking ticket buyers’ identification, checking viewers’ age at theater

entry, and *random *inspections during movies. Two other movie theaters in Yili, Xinjiang have also introduced similar rules.

Some experts have said that such voluntary ratings may help

*prompt relevant government agencies into action as movie theater operators are closest to the public’s needs and their own rating efforts could eventually gather enough useful experience for the government to base its official rules on.

So, what is your opinion? Could voluntary film rating standards introduced by movie theaters help speed up China’s movie rating reform and protect young film viewers?

Yes.

Young film viewers need to be protected.

1.The theater operator’s move means that there is an urgent need on behalf of millions of movie viewers as well as the film industry. The government should take the initiative and act soon.

2.The theater did this primarily for the good of young viewers who should be protected from content unfit for their age, even with China’s tight film content standards.

3. As children become an increasingly important part of the movie market, their needs and preferences will be key to the future of the industry. This is sufficient reason for government authorities to take action and shape the future market.

No.

Film theaters’ own ratings lack authority.

1.The government has long realized how important and helpful it would be to have a film rating system. However, there are so many different and powerful interests behind this that it has been extremely difficult to introduce standards that could suit all the *stakeholders.

2.A film theater’s own action does not carry any authority and, without laws regulating how ratings should be given and enforced, it is very difficult to keep doing so given the tight competition in the market.

3.Protecting children is only one consideration behind introducing a film rating system. There are also the needs of different age groups that need to be met, and without taking this into serious consideration,

a ratings system cannot be successful, official or unofficial.

4. Equal education?

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The 211 and 985 initiatives have some wondering whether other schools will be left in the dust.IC

Recent reports over possible changes to two of China’s most

*prestigious State-sponsored programs to give funding support to top-tier universities have once again raised *controversy over education equality.

The 211 Project and the 985 Project, started by the central government in the 1990s, selected about 100 universities and 39 universities respectively from around China for generous funding and policy support to help them build state-of-the-art laboratories, start research projects and *recruit top talents from around the world. The Ministry of Education has said both projects have closed their doors to new entrants, while recently, there were reports that they may be cancelled altogether. Later, the Education Ministry said they were rumors.

The aim of both projects is to help the nation’s top universities aggressively build up their academic and research capabilities, and become world-class higher education and research institutions. In the last two decades, the universities selected to participate in these programs have grown quickly and been generally regarded as the most prestigious universities in the nation. But the programs have also attracted a fair amount of controversy, with some critics saying that they led to the concentration of limited resources in these “top” universities while affecting the growth of thousands of other higher education organizations, creating more inequality in education. Others say the large amounts of State funding have not always achieved the intended targets, but led to waste and *bureaucratic growth in many universities.

So, what is your opinion? Should the 211 and 985 projects be abolished?

Yes.

Both have served their purposes.

1. China already has dozens of world-class universities, and there is no need to continue to give high funding priority to the same universities. Instead, other less developed institutions should now become the focus for improvement. Therefore the two *elite programs are no longer appropri ate for today’s situation.

2. In the last two decades “211” and “985” have become

*synonymous with education prestige and quality. However, this indeed has created more inequality among universities, with those on the lists continuing to enjoy the best resources and attract top students. This is no good for the *sustainable overall development of Chinese higher education.

3. All universities should be on an equal footing when applying for government funding support. The projects are not good for healthy competition between universities, and should instead be replaced by something more open and fair.

No.

Chinese colleges still need a lot of government support.

1. The existence of the projects doesn’t mean these universities enjoy all the funding the government has to offer, but because they have already made big leaps towards becoming world-class universities, they have better chances of achieving greater things than others with the same level of support.

2. A handful of Chinese universities may already rank high on global rankings, but most Chinese universities still *lag far behind. The projects can still help direct more resources to the mid-tier universities who can benefit a lot with government support.

3. Instead of abolishing the program, the government should consider

a more balanced approach and expand the list of universities to receive support, therefore giving other universities the opportunities to grow their education and research capabilities, and benefit millions of more students.

5. His love a crime?

When love is unrequited, do desperate times necessarily call for desperate measures?QUANJING

A student at Shangqiu College in Henan Province became the center of a media *frenzy after he was *expelled from the college for “forcibly expressing his love for a female student”. A notice was

posted online early this month stating that a student from the college’s School o f Electric Information Engineering had been expelled for “severely disrupting campus order” first by declaring his feelings for a female student in public, and then for verbally abusing school officials when they asked his parents to come to the school.

W hile the details of the student’s *alleged offenses were still under dispute, many commentators have come to his defense, arguing that the college overreacted to something that is only natural for young people of this age. Even if the female student rejected the student’s feelings, there was nothing wrong with what he did, they say. In contrast, school officials overreacted by accusing the student in question of inappropriate behavior and then asking his parents to travel all the way to the college to help deal with the incident.

Others, however, think that the student was too immature and had no control of his own emotions, and that what the school did was justified.

So, what is your opinion? Should the student have been expelled?

Yes.

The student made some serious mistakes.

1. The student caused serious *distress to the target of his passion. In

a high-stress environment like a college campus, the embarrassment such an *unsolicited proposal brings to a young female student could be quite damaging, even if the male student meant well.

2. Even if the male student was just acting out of love, he committed serious violations of school regulation and potentially broke the law as well when he lost his *temper and verbally abused teachers when they brought his parents to campus.

3. Although colleges have no business *interfering in students’ private lives, school officials do have a responsibility to maintain normal order on campus, to protect students’ rights, and to provide a peaceful environment for them.

No.

There is nothing wrong with young people expressing their feelings.

1. The school made things much worse by *reprimanding the

student for something that should have been resolved between the

students themselves. By asking the male student’s parents to come to

the school, officials triggered a very emotional response from the

student. The school should *revoke the expulsion decision and

apologize to the student.

2. There is nothing wrong with going public with one’s feelings,

especially for young people at this age. Maybe the male student

should have taken more care so as not to make the girl feel

uncomfortable or hurt her feelings, but this is nothing that justifies

expulsion.

3. Chinese college officials still tend to be on the conservative side

wi th a lot of regulations involving students’ private lives, even though

their students are young adults and should be able to make decisions

for their own lives.

Depression can be defeated with a good treatment plan and a firm understanding of the disease. FILE PHOTO

More people die from suicide than from conflict, war and natural

disasters combined, according to a global report on suicide prevention released by the World Health Organization on Sept 4.

The report, the first of its kind, shows that more than 800,000 people die by suicide every year. The report also states suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29, and that

three-quarters of suicides occur in low and middle-income countries, with higher numbers in central and eastern Europe and Asia.

While some suicides are *impulsive, caused by *dire financial *straits, illness and relationship troubles, academic journalism website The Conversation reports that depression is also a major risk factor in suicide attempts across the globe.

Depression is highly responsive to treatment when *detected early in its development. But sadly, there are many *misconceptions surrounding the illness.

When US actor Robin Williams took his life after suffering a long *bout with the disorder, many were heartbroken. They couldn’t understand how someone so talented and beloved could feel unhappy enough to end his life.

Rebranding sad

Depression is a disease. Dean Burnett, writing for The Guardian, says depression needs a new name. The word “depressed” can be applied to people who are in a bad mood as well as those with a genuinely *debilitating mental disorder. For thi s reason, it’s easy for depression to be dismissed by others as minor. After all, everyone gets depressed every now and then, right?

But depression is a serious medical condition. It’s an emotional, physical and *cognitive state that is intense, long-lasting and that affects a person’s day-to-day life. Someone suffering from depression needs and deserves the same sort of care afforded to those suffering from a physical *ailment.

The sickness is usually caused by several inter-related factors. Stress is a common trigger for depression. There is evidence that some people are genetically *predisposed to developing the illness. Brains experiencing depression also demonstrate notable chemical imbalance.

Some personality types are also more inclined to be vulnerable to depression. Those who have high anxiety levels, are sensitive to criticism, or are perfectionists, at higher risk of developing the disease.

snap out of, either. Depression is a state o?It’s important to understand that depression isn’t a sign of weakness or lack of personal strength. It isn’t just a mood you can f mind, and it can be adequately treated with psychological therapy and *antidepressant medication.

Do’s and don’ts of the disease

Depression is not something people choose to live with. Here are some things you should

Depression is not something people choose to live with. Here are some things you should never say to someone struggling with depression:

“You’ll feel better tomorrow.”ν

Those suffering from depression struggle every single day to find the light again. Depression isn’t something that goes away overnight. Say instead: Take it one day at a time, and I’ll be here with you through them all.

“You just have to deal with it.”ν

Someone who struggles with depression is dealing with it every single day as best they can. Saying this *undermines their effort. Say instead: You don’t have to deal with this alone. I am here for you.

“Life goes on.”ν

For someone dealing with depression, it can feel as if they are stuck with no way out. They probably have trouble imagining getting through the day, let alone the entire week. Say instead: You have so much to live for, and I will be with you to help you rediscover those things.

“Go out, have fun and forget about it.”ν

A night out on the town is no cure for depression. Depression isn’t just a bad day. Say instead: I would love to spend some time with you,

and I’m more than willing to be your shoulder to lean on. Maybe we can grab some coffee and catch up?

“You’re strong, you’ll be fine.”

Depression is an illness. It can make anyone feel weak and helpless. Say instead: I believe in you, and I know you can get through this. I will be here every step of the way.

Zhu Xiaodan contributed to the story