Many scientists think that the Earth is getting warmer and warmer. If the change continues, the natural world and human society will face danger. Scientists believe human activity is responsible for the climate change. We produce too many greenhouse gases. They keep heat in the air and make the Earth warm.

    Many of the world's governments agree. And they want to solve the problem. So from 7 to 18 December, 2009，they held a conference in Copenhagen, Denmark to talk about global warming and climate change.

    Representatives(代表) from 192 countries and regions went to the meeting. Although they have not reached an agreement, the Copenhagen Accord(《哥本哈根协议》) was an important beginning to save the Earth. It was made by a small group of countries including China，the USA，India, Brazil and South Africa. Some other countries at the conference also showed support.

    What are the key points of the Copenhagen Accord? The accord limits global temperature increases to 2C by 2050. Scientists think it could help the world to avoid serious climate change.

    The accord also says that developed countries must promise to cut greenhouse gas emissions(排放) to the UN by 31 January, 2010. The accord asks developed countries to give money to help developing countries.

    Many countries and organizations are disappointed that the conference didn't reach a legal document(法律文书). And they think the accord is not clear enough about its goals.

African leaders are worried that the goal of a 2℃ global temperature increase isn't good enough, because it will mean a much higher increase in temperature across Africa. This could cause big problems like food and water shortages across the continent.

    Still, UN Secretary General believes the conference was an "improvement".

    "Finally we reached a deal," Ban said," the accord may not be everything everyone had hoped for, but this is an important beginning."

The {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (three) year of junior high school was hard and busy. You may not have enough sleep. As we all know, being short of sleep is bad for health. What's more, experts have found that it could let you have trouble {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) friends. 

A study of a Tsinghua University research team showed people {#blank#}3{#/blank#} don't get enough sleep can be less willing to make friends. They are too tired {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (go) out. 

The researchers did a survey about 100 middle school students. When they had a good sleep at night, they {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (can) talk to strangers easily. While when they stayed up late, all of them wanted to be {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (lone) in the next day. 

Dr. Song, the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (lead) of the team, said, "The less sleep you get, the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (few) friends you will make. At the same time, people may think you are strange and stay away {#blank#}9{#/blank#} you. This can make you {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (feel) lonely and cause you to sleep even less."

So if you want to be {#blank#}11{#/blank#} good health and make more friends, sleeping well may help. "After a good sleep, you will be more clever and outgoing." Dr. Song said.

It happens every spring. Flowers come out everywhere on the same day. But how do plants "know" when to flower?

For years, it has been a difficult question for scientists. But a US research group may have finally answered it—the secret lies in a protein(蛋白质)called FKF1. This helps plants to know when the days become long and when they get short. Then they can tell the seasons(季节)are changing.

Researchers found the FKF1 protein when they were studying a plant called Arabidopsis. It is sensitive(敏感的)to sunlight, and can be made active by sunlight.

Plants produce this protein every day in the late afternoon all year. If there is no light at this time, for example, in winter when the sun goes down early, the protein won't be active. But when spring comes and the days get longer, the FKF1 protein can be made active by day light and the plants "know" it is time to flower. " If there is light in the late afternoon, plants will know that the days are getting longer and that it is the best time for flowers to come out,"explained Takato Imaizumi, leader of study. But when conditions are poor for growing, such as during autumn or winter when the weather is cold and days are short, plants won' t flower.

Although researchers have only studied how the FKF1 protein works in the Arabidopsis, they believe that it is the same with many other plants, including crops such as rice and wheat.

"If we can control when flowers come out, we might be able to increase crop production," Imaizumi said.

When people say "culture", we think of art and history. But one very famous symbol in American culture is a cartoon. We all know and love the black mouse 1 too large round ears- Mickey Mouse. Over 80 years ago, he first 2 in the cartoon Steamboat Willie. When this cartoon 3 in New York on November 18, 1928, it was the first cartoon with sound and music. The man behind Mickey was Walt Disney. He became very rich and 4 . In the 1930s, he made 87 cartoons with Mickey. 

Some people might ask how this cartoon animal became so popular. One of the main reasons is that Mickey was like a common man, but he always tried to 5 any danger. In his early films, Mickey was 6 and had many problems such as 7 his house or girlfriend, Minnie. However, he was always ready to try his 8 . People went to the cinema to see the "little man" 9 . Most of them wanted to be like Mickey. 

On November 18, 1978, Mickey became the first cartoon character to have a 10 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Today's cartoons are usually not so simple as little Mickey Mouse, but everyone still knows and loves him. Who has a pair of ears more famous than Mickey's?