The Week Nov 19, 2010

Pandas pick the winners

First came Paul the Octopus. He was the famous oracle in an oversized fish tank who predicted outcomes of this year's 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Now it's panda prognosticators at the 2010 Asian Games under way in Guangzhou. Big Brother Panda, and 11 fellow pandas have been picking the winners at the Asian Games. If Big Brother eats bamboo shoots, that means he's picked China to win. If he eats an apple, he's picking any other team but China. But wait a minute. When it comes to dinner, don't pandas already like bamboo shoots the best?

Good job interviews, bad job interviews

A good job interview involves showing up on time, dressing professionally and doing your homework to make a good impression. A bad interview involves getting into a drinking contest at lunch with your potential employer. Four college seniors in Chongqing stumbled out of the interview, and ended up passing out on a public sidewalk. Their pictures quickly made it to the Internet, attracting plenty of criticism from netizens. They would have attracted a lot more sympathy if they had passed out on the sidewalk after finding how just how little those jobs paid.

English language lessons

Every year, more Chinese students take English language lessons. After all, it's the language of global business, the Internet and American TV sitcoms like "The Big Bang Theory".

There are plenty of reasons to take English language classes. But what happens when you have an English professor whose English accent is so different that you cannot understand what he is saying? Let's look in on a class being taught in Beijing by Professor Steven Simpson of Glasgow, Scotland.

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About the broadcaster:

Renee Haines is an editor and broadcaster at China Daily. Renee has more than 15 years of experience as a newspaper editor, radio station anchor and news director, news-wire service reporter and bureau chief, magazine writer, book editor and website consultant. She came to China from