No country in the world has more daily newspapers than the US. There are almost 2,000 of them, as compared with 180 in Japan, 164 in Argentina and 111 in Britain. The quality of some American papers is extremely high and their views are quoted all over the world. Famous dailies like the Washington Post or the New York Times have a powerful influence all over the country. However, they are not national newspapers in the sense that The Times is in Britain or Le Monde is in France, since each American city has its own daily newspaper. The best of these presents detailed description of national and international news, but many tend to limit themselves to state or city news.

    Like the press in most other countries, American newspapers range from the “sensational” which feature crime and gossip (闲谈), to the “serious”, which focus on factual news and the analysis of world events. But with few exceptions, American newspapers try to entertain as well as give information, for they have to compete with the attraction of television.

    Just as American newspapers satisfy all tastes, so do they also try to attract readers of all political parties. A few newspapers support extremist (极端主义的) groups on the far right and on the far left, but most daily newspapers try to attract middle-of-the-road Americans who are moderate (中立的). Many of these papers print columns by well-known journalists of different political and social views, in order to present a balanced picture.

    As in other countries, American newspapers can be either responsible or irresponsible, but it is generally accepted that the American press serves its country well and that it has more than once courageously exposed political scandals (丑闻) or crimes, for instance, the Watergate Affair (水门事件). The newspapers drew the attention of the public to the horrors of the Vietnam War.

    Feifei, an 11-year-old boy from Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, suffered from a sudden acute eye disease which has almost led to blindness. The disease was caused by excessive(过度的)eye fatigue(疲劳)during the winter vacation, during which he played computer games for continuous 10 days and nights.

    Many youngsters in China nowadays are increasingly addicted to computer games and other electronic products. This is followed by a series of health problems, with the most typical case being myopia, or nearsightedness.

    According to the latest research report released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the myopia   rate among Chinese teenagers ranks first in the world—70 percent of high school and college students. The rate is nearly 40 percent in primary school students, while it is only 10 percent for their peers in the United States.

    There are at least 10 million people in China with severe myopia, and they are likely to get pathological(病理性的)myopia in middle age. Pathological myopia can't be treated with glasses or surgery, and it is one of the biggest factors that lead to blindness, Xu Xun, director of the ophthalmology(眼科学) department at Shanghai General Hospital, pointed out.

    Experts explain that two major factors lead to the high rate of myopia among Chinese people. One is high academic pressure, and the other one is excessive use of electronic devices over a long period of time. Genetics, on the other hand, are not the main reason, as only 20 percent of Chinese people had myopia in the 1960s.

    "Teenagers are now faced with severe academic pressure, which means they often study without natural light. This increases their risk of becoming nearsighted," Xu said.

    Experts suggest that youngsters maintain a proper balance between study and rest so as to protect their eyesight, and parents should play an active role in the process.

    A new report shows that there are just 7,100 cheetahs now left in the wild. Cheetahs are in trouble now.

    According to the study, more than half of the world's surviving cheetahs live in one zone that covers six countries in southern Africa. Cheetahs in Asia have nearly died out. It's thought that only fewer than 50 cheetahs live in Iran.

    The cheetah runs across lands far outside protected areas. Some 77% of their habitat falls outside these protected areas. As a result, the cheetah struggles because these lands are increasingly being developed by farmers and the cheetah's food is decreasing because of human hunting.

    In Zimbabwe, the cheetah population has fallen from around 1,200 to just 170 in 16 years, with the main cause being major changes in land ownership.

    Researchers say that the threats cheetahs are facing have gone unnoticed for far too long. “Given the nature of the cheetah, it has been difficult to gather information on them,” said Dr Sarah Durant, the report's lead author. “Our findings show that the large space requirements for cheetahs and various threats faced by them in the wild mean that they are likely to be in danger of dying out.”

    Another big concern about cheetahs has been the illegal trafficking (非法交易) of young cheetahs. The young cats can fetch up to $10,000 on the black market. Some 1,200 young cheetahs are known to have been trafficked out of Africa over the past 10 years but around 85% of them died during the journey.

    If the cheetahs are to survive, then immediate efforts must be made.

    It may sound strange, but cutting down a real tree for Christmas is actually greener than going with the artificial kind, one scientist says.

    “It is a little confusing to people,” said Clint Springer, a biologist at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia. Because of concerns over deforestation（砍伐森林）around the world, many people naturally worry that buying a real tree might contribute to that problem. But most Christmas trees for sale these days are grown not in the forest but on tree farms for the purpose of being cut.

    Moreover, from the viewpoint of greenhouse gases, real trees are “the obvious choice”. Live trees actively release oxygen as they grow, and meanwhile remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. After they have been cut and Christmas is over, they're usually cut into smaller pieces for mulch（覆盖物）. As mulch, the bits of trees very slowly release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. So in the end, a real Christmas tree is carbon neutral, putting the same amount of carbon dioxide back into the air as it took out (although much more slowly).

    The tree farms that grow the trees also replant after the trees are cut.  Artificial trees, on the other hand, don't come out even in the carbon balance. Petroleum（石油）is used to make the plastics in artificial trees and lots of carbon dioxide-creating energy is required to make and transport them. Because these trees just end up in the places where waste is buried under the ground after use, “those greenhouse gases are lost forever,” Springer said.

Some Popular RestaurantsParsley &Thyme Restaurant

    Daryl Cheong is a young chef who has recently taken over the running of Parsley&Thyme Restaurant. Since his graduation from At Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, Daryl has worked in a couple of leading European restaurants before taking over Parsley & Thyme Restaurant. Daryl serves popular dishes such as French Onion Soup, Braised Beef Cheek and 100% Grass-Fed New Zealand Tenderloin.

    Liquids Cafe Pte LId

    Having a decade of experience, we let our customers experience an explosion of American and Italian cuisine in a cafe atmosphere with affordable prices. Having both indoor and outdoor dining area, we are known for our welcoming atmosphere of romance. Customers simply bathe themselves in a range of magazines over a cup of caffeine. Our kitchen offers pastes, baked rice and main courses.

    The Rotisserie

    Sitting in the center of the downtown, the Rotisserie brings you a casual and affordable dining experience that is simply satisfying, We offer numbers of specialties on the menu that have been perfected to arouse your taste desires. From the award-winning coffee to our signature roasted chicken and mouth watering salads, we are committed to bringing you the best ingredients for a truly memorable affair.

    The Mind Cafe

    There can be no good fun without good food. The cafe aims to provide our customers with a pleasant session with something to fill their appetite. Light snacks, a warm coffee or hot chocolate serve the customers' needs just well. With over 2, 000 games on shelf across our outlets, the cafe eaters to people from all walks of life. You will never get bored from a lack of choice. It is suitable for a family outing, company gathering, or simple friends' get-together. We provide the games suitable for almost all ages to play together.

    A young woman sits alone in café sipping tea and reading a book. She pauses briefly to write in a nearby notepad before showing her words to a passing café waiter: "Where are the toilets please?" This is a familiar scene in Tokyo's so-called "silent cafes", where customers are not allowed to speak, and only communicate by writing in notepads.

    The concept rises by a desire to be alone among young Japanese, a situation brought by economic uncertainly, a shift in traditional family support structures and the growing social isolation. The phenomenon is not limited to coffee shops but covers everything from silent discos, where participants dance alone wearing wireless headphones connected to the DJ, to products such as small desk tents designed for conversation-free privacy in the office. One Kyoto company even offers single women the opportunity to have a "one woman wedding" – a full bridal affair, complete with white dress and ceremony, and the only thing missing is the groom. The trend has its own media expression – "botchi-zoku", referring to individuals who consciously choose to do things completely on their own.

    One recent weekday afternoon, Chihiro Higashikokubaru, a 23-year-old nurse, travelled 90 minutes from her home, to Tokyo on her day off in order to enjoy some solo time. Speaking quietly at the entrance of the café, Miss Higashikokubaru said: "I heard about this place via Twitter and I like the idea of coming here. I work as a nurse and it's always very busy. There are very few quiet places in Tokyo, and it's a big busy city. I just want to come and sit somewhere quietly on my own. I'm going to drink a cup of tea and maybe do some drawings. I like the idea of a quiet, calm atmosphere."

    The desire to be isolated is not a new concept in Japan, home to an estimated 3.6 million "hikikomori" – a more extreme example of social recluses（隐士）who withdraw completely from society.