The poaching（偷猎）, or illegal killing, of rhinos(犀牛) in South Africa is growing worse each year．The government recently reported that a record number of rhinos were poached in 2015，a year which had more rhino killings in South Africa than ever before.

    The World Wildlife Fund，or WWF，says about 20, 000 rhinos live in South Africa．That is more than 80 percent of the rhinos in the world．Edna Molewa，South Africa's Environment Minister，says, “During 2015，we are sad to say this，1,215 rhinos were killed．This is a rise in the number of poached rhinos from 1,004 in 2014 and indeed very worrying.”

    The animals are hunted for their horns(角)．Many people in Asia believe the horn has curing power，which drives poachers， at all costs，mad for more horns． But there is no scientific evidence for this belief．The horn is made of keratin(角蛋白)．That is the same thing as human hair，fingernails and toenails.

    Ms．Molewa said 386 suspected poachers were arrested last year，an increase from the year before．But rhino protection workers say poachers often go unpunished after arrest． South Africa's legal system is ineffective． Ms． Mo1ewa said more needs to be done and South Africa is taking strong measures to protect rhinos．The efforts include moving some of the animals to secret places in neighboring countries. “Now approximately 100 rhinos have been moved to neighboring states in the SADC region during 2015 and 200 more rhinos will be moved this year,” Molewa said.

    Jo Shaw，the rhino program manager at the WWF，said， “We're talking about a loss of a hundred rhinos a month，or more than three a day．We really need to see effective action not just at a national level but internationally．” She says officials should find the criminal groups responsible for the poaching and punish them. Government officials are to meet in Botswana in March at the Inter-governmental Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade.

    Finding time to read is an important part of developing reading and writing skills for all kids. And there are many easy and convenient ways to make reading a part of each day — even when it's tough to find time to sit down with a book.

    Car trips, waits in checkout lines and the doctor's office are all opportunities for reading. Keep books or magazines in your car, or backpack to pull out whenever you're going to be in one place for a while. Even if you can't finish a book, read a few pages or discuss some of the pictures.

    Encourage kids to bring favorite books and magazines along wherever you go. While it's attractive to provide electronic games and readers, be sure to alternate electronic media with plenty of opportunities to read traditional print books.

    Reading opportunities are everywhere you go. While riding in the car, for example, encourage kids to spot words and letters (on billboards, store signs, etc.), turning it into a game (“Who'll be the first to find a letter B?”).

    Even daily tasks like cooking can provide reading moments. Kids can assist you as you cook by telling you how much flour to measure. Give your child a catalogue to read while you sort through the mail. Ask relatives to send your child letters, e-mail, or text messages, and read them together. Help your child create letters or messages to send back to the relatives. These types of activities help kids see the purpose of reading and of print.

    Even when you're trying to get things done, you can encourage reading. While cleaning, for instance, you might ask your child to read a favorite book to you while you work.

    Make sure kids get some time to spend quietly with books, even if it means cutting back on other activities, like watching TV or playing video games.

    Most important, be a reader yourself. Kids who see their parents reading are likely to imitate them and become readers, too!

    Teenagers who spend hours in front of the television may have a poorer diet as young adults.

    A study, which included nearly 1,400 high school students, found those who watched TV for five hours or more per day had less healthy diets than peers(同龄人) five years later. Why does this happen? Should the parents take any measures?

    On the one hand, people who spend a lot of time in front of the TV, especially teenagers, may snack more, and that may affect their long-term diet quality.

    On the other hand, TV ads for fast food, sweets and snacks tempt teenagers to eat more of those foods. And TV time might also replace exercise time for some kids.

    Lead researcher Dr. Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, told Reuters Health a clear correlation between TV time during high school and diet quality in young adulthood. While the heaviest TV viewers were eating the most junk food, those who'd watched less than two hours per day had the highest intake(吸收) of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and high-calcium food. In her opinion, parents should limit and monitor TV viewing.

    As far as I am concerned, children should watch no more than two hours of television per day. And parents should set a good example by eating right, being physically active and curbing their own TV time.

    Are you carrying too much on your back at your back at school? I'm sure lots of children of your age will say “Yes”. Not only the students in China have this problem, but children in the United States also have heavy school bags.

    Doctors are starting to worry that younger and younger students are having back and neck problems as a result of school bags being too heavy for them.

    “It's hard for me to go upstairs with my bag because it's so heavy,” said Rick Hammond, an 11-year-old student in the US.

    Rick is among students who have common school bags with two straps（带子）to carry them, but many other students choose rolling（有滚轮的）bags.

    But even with rolling bags, getting up stairs and buses is still a problem for children. Many of them have hurt their backs and necks because of the heavy school bags.

    But how much is too much? Doctors say students should carry no more than 10% to 15% of their own body weight.

    Scout Batch, a back doctor, said children under Grade 4 should stay with 10%. But it is also important that older children don't stay with over 15%, because their bodies are still growing.

    “Children are losing their balance and falling down with their school bags,” he said.

    Parents and teachers are starting to tell children to only take home library books they will be reading that night. Some teachers are using pieces of paper or thin workbooks for students to take home.

    One of the best answers is, as some children said, to have no homework at all!

    India is an ancient civilization with rich cultural heritage (遗产), and its cultural heritage has something to do with all major religions (宗教)of the world. Here we take a look at some of the top heritage destinations in India.

    Sun Temple, Konark

    As the name suggests this temple is all about the power of the sun God. A huge chariot (二轮战车) drawn by seven horses and twelve pairs of wheels reflect（反映） the importance which ancient people placed on the power of the sun. The pictures of animals and humans give this place a special look.

    Churches Goa

    Goa is the only Indian state which was controlled by the Portuguese (葡萄牙人), so the scene in Goa is dotted with (点缀着) Portuguese style churches. Some of the famous churches include the church of Saint Catherine, church of Saint Augustine and church of saint Francis of Assisi. These churches show beautiful paintings and flower designs which make them a must visit.

    Ajanta and Ellora Caves

    These caves contain well designed paintings which are widely regarded as the most outstanding works of Buddhist religious art.

    Taj Mahal, Agra

    Built on the bank of the Yamuna River, it is an excellent building. The writing and paintings on the outside structure provide the finest examples of the outstanding style of buildings.

    Sanchi

    Sanchi is a UNESCO world heritage site with numerous Buddhist temples dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries.

    On your visit to India, be sure to visit some of these heritage destinations. An Indian journey is not wonderful without experiencing the beauty of these heritage destinations.

    Do you love holidays but hate the increase weight that follows? You are not alone.

    Holidays are happy days with pleasure and delicious foods. Many people, however, are worried about the weight that comes along with the delicious foods.

     With proper planning, it is possible to control your weight. The idea is to enjoy the holidays but not to eat too much. You don't have to turn away from the foods that you enjoy. The following suggestions may be of some help to you.

    Do not miss meals. Before you leave home for a feast, have a small, low-fat snack. This may help to keep you from getting too excited before delicious foods.

    Begin with clear soup, fruit or vegetables. A large glass of water before you eat may help you feel full. Use a small plate; a large plate will encourage you to have more than enough.

    Better not have high-fat foods. Dishes that look oily or creamy have much fat in them.

    Choose lean meat. Fill your plate with salad and green vegetables.

    If you have a sweet tooth, try mints and fruit. They don't have fat content as cream and chocolate.

    Don't let exercise take a break during the holidays. A 20-minute walk after a meal can help burn off excess calories.