London

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown proposed a "Copenhagen Launch Fund" to help poorer countries tackle climate change immediately, as part of a global climate agreement to be reached in Copenhagen in December, the prime minister's office announced on Friday. Brown said he was optimistic that developed countries would support the measure of 10 billion U.S. dollars. Half of the funding would go towards helping developing countries reduce greenhouse gases. The other half would help developing countries to adapt to climate change, with priority for the poorest and most vulnerable. According to the prime minister, the British government would contribute 800 million pounds in total over three years, which has already been budgeted for.

Q6: Which of the following statements is true about British Prime Minister’s proposal?

Toronto

Real Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of Canada, increased 0.1% in the third quarter, the first quarterly gain since the third quarter of 2008, according to Statistics Canada on Monday. Domestic demand, including consumer spending, housing, government spending and even business investment performed better than the previous quarter. Final domestic demand advanced 1.2% as capital investment and personal expenditures both increased. Real GDP was up 0.4% in September, as most major industrial sectors increased their production, according to Statistics Canada.

Q7: At what percentage did real GDP of Canada increase in the third quarter of the year?

Dubai

Confidence of Western investors across the Gulf has been shaken by the Dubai government's shock decision to ask creditor banks for six-month delay on its massive debt repayments on Thursday. Western investors turned to the oil-exporting Gulf region for help during the global financial crisis. But now European stock markets dropped sharply on the news, with European exchanges particularly hard hit. The U.S. markets were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday and the dollar edged up from 14-year lows as renewed risk aversion prompted investors to shed riskier assets. However, a Dubai's senior official said the suspension of payments on Dubai World was carefully planned and done in full knowledge of how the markets would react.

Q8: What did the Dubai government decide to do on Thursday?

Geneva

A group of demonstrators protesting against the World Trade Organization smashed shop windows and set fire to several cars in central Geneva on Saturday, witnesses said. Police in riot gear had to intervene and tried to head off the vandalizing protesters in the city's main shopping street, leading to clashes, they said. An estimated 3,000 people took part in the march, which meant to protest against a WTO ministerial conference starting on Monday. The conference aims to review all the activities of the world trade body, including the long-running Doha Round of global trade negotiations. Anti-WTO activists have accused the body of adopting trade policies in favor of multinational companies while neglecting the interests of the poor. Similar protests have happened during previous WTO ministerial meetings.

Q9: Why did an estimated 3000 march in central Geneva’s main shopping street?

United Nations

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday voiced his heartfelt condolences over the tragic loss of lives in the wake of derailment of an express train running from Moscow to St. Petersburg in Russia on Friday, Nov. 27, 2009, a UN statement issued here. The statement, issued by his spokesperson, said: "At this moment of grief, his thoughts go out to the victims and their families. He wishes the many injured a swift recovery, and hopes that investigations currently being conducted will shed more light on the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident." A homemade chemical bomb planted on the tracks in an apparent act of terrorism derailed a high-speed train in Russia carrying hundreds of people Friday night, killing at least 26 and injuring scores more.

Q10: What casualties did the derailment of an express train cause in Russia?

本次新闻涉及到的哥本哈根协议，迪拜问题，经济复苏问题等。我在新东方考前串讲时，已经为大家准确的预测到了。我这里再次强调一次。考试取材为考试前一年之内的世界大事。对2010年春季的考生，意味着要关注2009年一整年的大事。我将2009年诸多大事提取了少数几个极有可能出题的热点，在考前串讲和模考串讲特别叮嘱大家要作为考试的必备热点。