黄刚 and 陈花 discuss the phenomenon of young people using Xianyu as a side hustle to name newborns and its cultural significance.

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黄刚: 小花, I saw an interesting piece of news saying that many young people are now using Xianyu to name newborns as a side hustle!
陈花: Really? Naming can be a side hustle? That's quite unique. What kind of people are doing this?
黄刚: Mostly graduates majoring in Chinese language and literature or classical literature. They refer to classic texts like 《诗经》 and 《论语》 to give children names with meaningful connotations. On average, it's about 30 yuan per order. Although they don't earn much, they say they do it mainly out of interest.
陈花: That's quite interesting. Actually, naming is indeed very important, as it relates to the child's whole life. But I wonder, with such a cheap service, will the quality of the names vary greatly?
黄刚: That's possible, but some people are very serious about it. For example, some sellers provide six alternative names and explain their origins and meanings. They really put their hearts into it.
陈花: I remember that in ancient times, when people named their children, they paid attention to the meaning, rhythm, and the combination of the five elements of the characters. Modern people probably pay more attention to whether it sounds good and has cultural connotations. This can be regarded as a new form of development of traditional culture.
黄刚: Yes, although this kind of side hustle doesn't bring in much income, it's good that it can make people pay more attention to traditional culture. Perhaps for these young people, this is also a way to inherit culture.
陈花: That's right, even if they only earn 'milk tea money', as long as it can help people and reflect cultural value, it's worth doing.

小刚 explains to 小宝 why actor 于和伟 played a college student in the TV series.

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小宝: Brother, I heard from Mom that a 53-year-old uncle is playing a college student. Is that true?
小刚: Yes, it's true! That actor is 于和伟. In the TV series 'I Am a Detective,' he plays a character who goes from being a college student to a criminal investigation expert.
小宝: But isn't the uncle too old to play a college student? Won't it seem strange?
小刚: The director said that because the character's story spans over 30 years, the later scenes are more important and require an experienced actor to portray them well.
小宝: Oh, I see! So, did he perform well?
小刚: Audiences have different opinions, but many think he did a great job. The show even received high ratings!
小宝: I understand now. A good actor can make the story believable.

陈智高 and 王明月 discuss the phenomenon of big data pricing discrimination and the ethical standards and transparency of algorithms.

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王明月: Master, recently many people have been complaining about big data discrimination, saying that platforms charge old users higher prices than new users. What do you think of this phenomenon?
陈智高: This is typical price discrimination. Essentially, platforms use users’ consumption habits and data for precise pricing. Since old users are more loyal, platforms exploit that and charge them more.
王明月: It’s definitely unfair. Recently, some people have tried ‘reverse taming’ the algorithm by intentionally flooding social media with complaints to influence price fluctuations.
陈智高: That’s an interesting approach, but it may have limited impact. Algorithm models are highly adaptive and self-learning. It might work in the short term, but in the long run, the algorithms will adjust their strategies and more precisely target users’ behavioral patterns.
王明月: How can we regulate this phenomenon? The complexity of algorithms makes regulation more difficult. Professor 陈兵 suggested making algorithms more transparent, but isn’t that technically challenging?
陈智高: It’s indeed difficult, but not impossible. Companies need to have a sense of social responsibility and regularly adjust their algorithms to ensure they align with values of fairness and justice. Regulatory agencies should set standards and promote transparency so consumers understand the pricing logic.
王明月: That’s the only way to rebuild users’ trust. Otherwise, platforms appear to be offering personalized services but are actually profiting from information asymmetry.
陈智高: Exactly. In the information age, while algorithms bring convenience, they also need ethical and moral constraints. This is why we discuss the intersection of technology and humanities.

小宝 and 小美 play video games together, discussing China's gaming culture and popular games.

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小宝: 小美, do you like playing video games?
小美: I do! I've been playing a very popular mobile game recently.
小宝: What game is it? I want to try it too!
小美: It's called "Honor of Kings," a very popular team battle game.
小宝: I've heard of it! Many people are playing this game.
小美: Yes, China's gaming market is huge, with many different types of games.
小宝: Not only mobile games, but also many PC games and console games.
小美: And there are many new games released every year, which I find particularly interesting.
小宝: Yes, games also allow us to play with friends, increasing interaction.
小美: That's right, my favorite thing is playing games with my friends!

大卫 tells 刘老师 that he is feeling a bit homesick.

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刘娜: 大卫, you seem a bit unhappy today. What's wrong?
大卫: Teacher, I miss home a little.
刘娜: Oh, I see. How long has it been since you last went home?
大卫: More than a month.
刘娜: It's normal to miss home. Have you done any video calls with your family?
大卫: Yes, but I still want to see them in person.
刘娜: I understand. But you can do some things in China to make yourself happy.
大卫: Like what?
刘娜: For example, you can watch a movie or join activities with friends. That might make you feel better.
大卫: Thank you, Teacher. I'll try it!

黄刚 and 陈花 discuss China's new oil and gas discoveries and their significance for national development.

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黄刚: 陈花, did you know? Recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced the discovery of ten billion-ton oil fields and nineteen hundred-billion-cubic-meter gas fields. This is big news!
陈花: Really? That sounds impressive! How does this benefit our energy supply?
黄刚: Of course, there are many benefits! These new resources can greatly enhance our energy security and reduce reliance on imported oil and natural gas. Especially the discovery of ultra-deepwater gas fields, which shows that our exploration technology is now among the world's best.
陈花: That sounds exciting! But won’t exploration and extraction cause environmental damage?
黄刚: That’s a great question. The Ministry of Natural Resources mentioned that they are promoting green exploration and mining, using new technologies to reduce ecological impact while achieving low-carbon transformation. This is a way to balance resource development and environmental protection.
陈花: That’s great! It not only benefits economic development but also protects the environment. It looks like these discoveries are truly important for our country's future development!
黄刚: Yes. Energy is the lifeline of economic development. These new discoveries provide stronger support for our manufacturing and technology industries and lay a solid foundation for our modernization goals.

小刚 explains to 小宝 the dangers of vulgar live streaming and the importance of following online rules.

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小宝: Brother, what is a vulgar live stream? Why did the news say someone got arrested for it?
小刚: Vulgar live streams are when people say rude or uncomfortable things online or do inappropriate things. This can affect others and break the law.
小宝: Why would they do that?
小刚: Some people use these methods to attract more viewers to their live streams and make more money. But it’s wrong, and the police will catch them.
小宝: Oh, I see! So we need to follow rules online too, right?
小刚: That’s right! The internet isn’t a lawless place. Everyone should be respectful and follow the law so the online environment can be better.

小宝 and 小美 learn about social media usage habits in China through Weibo and WeChat.

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小宝: 小美, have you ever used Weibo?
小美: Yes, I like to see everyone's sharing on Weibo.
小宝: I also have a Weibo account, and I often post photos.
小美: Then do you use WeChat? Everyone uses it to chat.
小宝: Of course, WeChat can also send voice messages, which is very convenient.
小美: Yes, and you can chat with friends in WeChat groups.
小宝: I also learned to send WeChat red envelopes, and I send them to my family during the Chinese New Year.
小美: I also like to receive red envelopes! And there's Moments, where you can see updates from friends.
小宝: Social media allows us to connect with friends anytime, anywhere.
小美: Yes, and we can also share bits and pieces of our lives, which is really fun!