The 63rd Xizi English Salon Agenda      
                                                           
Hostess: Sandy
Date: Nov. 8th, 2008
Time: 19:30-21:30
Entrance fee: RMB5

Venue: 惠州市西枝江桥南麦地路升辉苑A栋3楼1号格灵威自然美语培训中心（从侧边的楼梯上三楼）

格灵威自然美语培训中心网站地址：http://www.glsedu.cn
邮箱 e-mail: info@glsedu.cn

For detailed address, please see the map at the bottom.
衷心感谢格灵威自然美语为西子英语沙龙提供免费的场地！在此代表广大英语爱好者对该机构所作的公益举动表示诚挚的感谢和敬意！
提示：本活动仅接受中级和中级以上英语水平者报名参加。 欲参加的会员请提前报名，以便召集人准备资料。期待你的参与……


Part One: Self-introduction and a warming-up game (7:30---8:00)
Introduce yourself
(Family and friends, likes and dislikes, your spare time. ect.)
Warming - up Game  
All divided into 2 or 3 groups and stand in a line. The Hostess shows the first person a word and she/he should use his own words to pass the meanings to the second one and the second one according to his/her own understanding describes the word to the next one…until the last one. Pay attention: No same expression appears. We will have a judger to count the time.
Those who lost the game should give us a surprise about English.
Please prepare at least a song or a poem to share with us.

Part Two: Discussion (8:00---8:30)
Work in group of 3 or 4 to discuss the article and share your opinions with us.
God won’t ask
1. God won't ask what kind of car you drove; He will ask how many people you drove who did not have transportation. 上帝不会问你开的是哪种车，他会问你搭载的人中，有多少是没有交通工具的．
　　2. God won't ask the square footage of your house, He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home. 上帝不会问你的房子有多大，他会问你邀请过多少人来到你家里．
　　3. God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.
　　上帝不会问你衣柜里有多少衣服，他会问你曾帮助多少需要衣物的人．
　　4. God won't ask what your highest salary was; He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it. 上帝不会问你收入有多丰富，他会问你是否为不义之财．
　　5. God won't ask what your job title was; He’ll ask if you preformed your job to the best of your ability. 上帝不会问你的职位，他会问你是否有充分发挥自己的才能．
　　6. God won't ask how many friends you had, He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
　　上帝不会问你有多少朋友，他会问你是多少人的朋友．
　　7.God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.
　　上帝不会问你住在哪个社区，他会问你是如何对待你的左邻右舍的．
　　8. God won't ask about the color of your skin, He’ll ask about the content of your character.
　　上帝不会问你的肤色，他会问你的人格特质．           
       9. God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation .He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
　　上帝不会问你怎么会那么长的时间在寻找救恩，他是多么引颈期盼能将你引领到天上的家，而非地狱之门．
　　10.God won't have ask how many people you forward this to, He already knows your decision ,
上帝不需要问你会将这个信息传给多少人，你的心思他早已知晓．

Part Three: Debate (8:30---9:15)
Do you agree?
Microsoft blacksceen case.
Computer screens are darkening in China, and it’s not because the nation’s netizens are powering down.

    Several dozen users of Microsoft’s XP operating system and its Office software took to the Internet today to say that their desktop backgrounds had begun turning black. The switch doesn’t render the computer unusable, but it undoes people’s efforts to personalize their computer screens with photos or designs. Many said they were able to restore their original desktops only to have their screens turn black again an hour later.

    The users have run into one of Microsoft Corp.’s latest anti-piracy efforts. Its Windows Genuine Advantage software, installed via recent online updates, determines whether the software on the computer is legitimate or pirated. Users will be treated with plain black desktop if their computers fail the validation process. Meanwhile, a persistent desktop notification will pop up at the right corner, warning that the user may be a victim of software counterfeiting.

    The company says that many of the press reports so far have misinterpreted the new measure. Background images can be returned. Users can purchase the software they’re using. And during the whole process, the user’s applications won’t be affected and information won’t get lost.

    The software isn’t restricted to China, but with many users owning illegitimate copies it has created a stir online there. According to the stats from several popular online forums such as Tianya.com, more than 50 users were treated with black desktop about 10 minutes past midnight.

    At issue, say users, is the price of a legitimate copy of Windows XP. Windows XP is sold at $199, which is over 1,400 yuan. The company says that it has already adjusted the policy to make the price more attractive to Chinese computer users. For instance, the Windows XP Home/Student Edition is sold at a promotion price of 199 yuan, and suggested price for Windows Vista Service Pack is 499 yuan. Still, the price is steep for many Chinese users who have vastly cheaper pirated versions available to them.

    One survey on Sina.com showed that 86% out of 90,000 people participating say they “won’t consider a shift to genuine Windows because of the crackdown by Microsoft.” [This link, and all following links, are in Chinese.] “We do not stand up for piracy, but against your company for not thinking how the users feel,” wrote blogger going by the name Ling Ge in an open letter to Microsoft.

    Popular Web site Sohu.com said a Beijing-based lawyer, Dong Zhengwei, reported the case to the State Public Security Bureau, saying that Microsoft is infringing on the privacy of Chinese users.

Others had a bit of fun. Last night, drawn by media reports that black screens were imminent, hundreds crowded the discussion room in Douban.com, named “black screen countdown,” waiting for the blackout to come. “It’ll be so exciting to have a live broadcast when thousands of computers go black!” wrote a netizen from Guangzhou.

    Some preset the system time on their computers to view the blackout, with help from online instructions. Some even made their own black screen wallpaper to make fun of Microsoft’s new anti-piracy measures. One read, “absolutely pirated edition/voluntarily black screened.”
  
1. Did you have this kind of experience?
2. Do you have any further information about this case? What is it?
3. What do you think of the action of Microsoft?
4. What can we do to deal with?

Part Four: Free talk (9:15---9:30)
Everyone introduce a place (anyplace) of HZ that is worthy to pay a visit.
Park; restaurant; supermarket; bookstores; bar, ect.