2 . When we’ve got children, it’s typical of us to give careful thought to how much TV the children are watching and exposed to. Are we being overprotective about the effect reality TV is having on our child? The answer is “No”. Or rather, there’s increasing evidence that these programs can have a profound influence on young people.

A recent research indicates that some reality TV shows can be as damaging for teenage girls as too many cartoons are for kids. The truth is that reality TV is anything but reality—but that’s not necessarily what our children believe. A study for the Girl Scout Research Institute in the US found that eight out of ten girls aged between 11 and 17 who regularly watch reality shows believe these programs describe real life. In fact, much of reality TV is a heavily manipulated (操纵) view of what’s really happening, and the worst of it strengthens the sort of female stereotypes women have spent decades trying to remove.

Many of the women on reality TV shows are acting out lives as teenage mothers or drama queens. Strong, hard-working, purposeful young women with ambitions beyond their looks are rare in these programs. There’s a widespread emphasis on the value of women concerning how they look and dress, which gives young viewers the message that being a woman is all about style and appearance, not what you do or stand for. Imran Siddiquee, Director of Social Media and Outreach, is concerned that these programs show the worst stereotypes of womanhood and “normalize” them in what appear to be everyday settings. “They offer such a limited view of what it is to be a woman, and all over the world young girls are addicted to it,” he says.

We should encourage our children to be critical thinkers. Whether reality TV is changing our children’s views, or whether they are attracted to programs that agree with their beliefs, it’s vital we that their viewing habits could strengthen these unbalanced ideas.

5 . 4 Popular Places to Go This Winter

Harbin, China

China Harbin’s winter is for the brave ones—the average temperature is 1.8°F- but those who brave the cold will be rewarded with experiencing one of the world’s largest winter festivals. 2021 marks the 37th Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (January-March), when massive frozen structures rise and are lit up, transforming the city into a winter wonderland.

Lyon, France

Paris may be called The City of Light,but every December, light takes center stage in Lyon, France’s third-largest city. That’s when the annual Festival of Lights (around December 8) takes over, with light installations (装置)that transform the city’s streetscapes into modern works of art. The city is also home to two Christmas markets (one in La Croix-Rousse; the other at the Place Carnot; through December 25).

Lima, Peru

Peru’s capital Lima is home to the world’s highest number of cooking schools per person. Aside from its delicate dining, the city also has great cocktail bars where you can taste classic or contemporary takes on the Pisco Sour.Combine that with the oceanfront setting and temperatures in the 80s, and you’ll understand why Lima should no longer be ignored this winter.

Vermont, US

Winter in Vermont means skiing and snowboarding, Many resorts (度假胜地)have greatly upgraded their snowmaking abilities as part of a $15 million statewide program that replaced many outdated snow guns with new, low-energy models.These new machines will also improve the quality of snow surfaces and lengthen the season, meaning this will be one of the best winters for skiing and riding in Vermont in recent memory.

6 . Answering the Community Needs of Our City

The Siver City Council recognizes that citizens have certain needs. To better meet your needs, we have made several changes to community facilities in 2020. The followings shows how we have tried to make your life better.

Transport

☆Three stations for the suburbs have been added to the western train service.

☆20 new buses for the southern line were purchased in January.

☆50 per cent of city bus-stops have been upgraded.

Communication

☆Broadband cableis now available to ll parts of the city.

☆All of the new Government buildings are smart-wired for better computer service!

Medical Facilities

☆The new state-of-the-art Nightingale Hospital was opened in June.

☆To overcome a shortage of trained medical staff at Dover Hospital, 10 doctors have been employed from overseas.

☆Some facilities at Station Street Hospital have been upgraded.

Education

☆Textbooks will be free to all primary students in 2020!

☆Rental for private schools has been reduced.

Protection and Security

☆Extra police now patrol(巡逻)the tourist areas.

☆50 new police officers graduated in July and have taken up duties in the city area.

Entertainment/Recreation

☆The new Central Community Building opened in May.

☆5,000 new fiction books were bought for the Silver City Library.

7 . Each time Chinese New Year is approaching, preparations are underway around the world. Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to mark the day.

London

Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London’s Chinatown is perfectly formed little firework that knows how to see in the year with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns, previous years have seen shows with acrobatics（杂技）, martial arts（武术）,dance and opera nearby.

San Francisco

San Francisco’s Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the United States. The city was the main entry-point for Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between the Grant Avenue and the Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bangkok

With an about 100-year-old history, the Thai capital’s Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty treats, clothes, toys and antiques. Sunday market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also known for its gold dealers, whose shops line the road.

Mauritius

Found in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation’s rich multicultural diversity. Established in the early years of the 20^th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During the Chinese Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the Dragon Dances on Rue Royale when Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional lion dances through the streets.

8 . Four apps to keep your life on track

From simple task scheduling to detailed task management, all these apps offer everything you need for efficient task recording.

Focuster

With Focuster, you just need to add all your tasks and the tool will arrange them immediately in order of importance. After adding all the tasks, just press the Now button and the tool will show the tasks you should be focusing on for the day.

TeuxDeux

This useful app lets you schedule and organize all your tasks for the whole week. Just add the tasks below the day column and you’re done. Want to move a task from one column to another? No worries. Its drag - and - drop interface (界面) lets you rearrange the task and add it to a different day ’ s column. Additionally, TeuxDeux lets you add repeating tasks for a day.

TickTick

TickTick allows you to add tasks, subtasks, custom reminders as well as deadlines for a day, a week, or a month. In order to provide you with more ease in task scheduling, TickTick offers a nice calendar view, where you can add or edit tasks on a weekly or daily basis. It also has experimental features, which you can turn on if you want to try out beta capabilities (测试功能).

Wunderlist

The app lets you create tasks, subtasks and allows you to share with your family, friends and colleagues. The whole app is designed in the most user — friendly way and offers you the ability to add deadlines, additional information and reminders.

9 . The Blue Cafe' Theatre

The Artist is a movie set in a neighborhood of the French capital, by the River Seine. Made in 1940, this black and white movie has made cinema history. A romantic drama that will make you cry, it is well worth watching. Don't worry if you don't know French; you can read the subtitles(字幕). Showing Sunday morning in the Blue Cafe' Theatre.

Elmstreet Village Cinema

Ask me that again! A great movie for all ages, young and old. It's a movie with something for everyone! Set in a New York college, it sells the story of a girl who is so pretty that every boy falls to her. But all she wants to do is study! Now showing until Sunday, Special afternoon tickets at 10% discount for the 4:00 pm matinee(午后场).

The Orange Cinema Company

Star Traveler is a great movie for science-fiction fans who like to have a good laugh at the same time. It may not be the best film of all time, but it certainly is the funniest. You will love Wil, the star traveler, who gets lost in space, chased by green aliens. Showing from Saturday at all Orange Cinemas , 7: 00 pm, 9: 00 pm and 11:30 pm.

Findley Park Cinema

Dance all the way! A musical romance, set in an arts & dance school in the US, the film will have you singing along and tapping(轻叩) your toes from beginning to end. Doors open on Saturday at 5:00 pm for the early showing.

10 . It can be tough to pull kids away from their computers and mobile devices these days. While they’re playing games, wouldn’t it be great if they could be learning at the same time? Good educational apps offer fun challenges that teach specific grade-level skills. Here are four that combine fun and learning.

Understanding Math($3.99; iOS)

Understanding Math goes beyond basic comprehension to gain a deeper understanding of the whys and hows of math. The app tracks your child’s progress to determine strengths and weaknesses in different skill areas, and you can customize(订制)your child’s learning experience to suit the needs.

Word Creativity Kit($2.99; iOS)

Word Creativity Kit aims not only to make creative writing fun but also build up grammar rules. The app presents a series of words from seven categories, such as space or fantasy. Kids add their own words to finish the complete thoughts that these words have inspired.

Barefoot World Atlas($4.99; iOS)

Barefoot World Atlas helps kids learn about geography and world cultures with a touch of the screen. Each region features a set of sub-topics, from wildlife and natural features to native people, landmarks, and architecture. These facts and illustrations are delivered in photographs, sounds, and hundreds of mini videos.

My Grades & Homework($0.99; iOS)

A combination of grades and homework tracker, My Grades & Homework can help your child stay organized and on top of the progress in school. A convenient calendar and course list format and offer a glance at your child’s assignment schedule that he or she might not normally get from standard homework planners.