弟子: disciple, follower...
功率: rate of work, power (output)...
堤坝: dam, dike...
畅谈: to talk freely, to discuss without inhibition...
老人: old man or woman, the elderly, one's aged parents or grandparents...
不怎么样: not up to much, very indifferent, nothing great about it, nothing good to be said about it...
平民: ordinary people, commoner, civilian...
出难题: to raise a tough question...
研究: research, a study, to research, to look into...
忍饥挨饿: starving, famished...
