【推荐3】“Sorry seems to be the hardest word”— that is one of Elton John's most popular songs. But not every public figure seems to find it so tough to say that powerful five-letter word.

In recent days public figures, from politicians to stars, have all publicly expressed remorse. But with so much remorse, how can we tell a forced apology from a heartfelt expression of remorse?

Specifically, saying sorry should be a realization that something you have said or done has hurt someone and you want to make amends (弥补). "People want the response to be personal to them. They want to feel that they're being listened to and taken seriously," says Martin Stone.

Firstly, it is important to show that you understand. It is vital that any group or a person making an apology understands the focus — is it sorry for the way it's acted or is it sorry that the complainant feels the way they do? Watch out for the speed of response. The quicker the apology comes, the better it indicates that the person making it has felt an immediate sense of guilt.

If sincere, the person making the apology will be looking for clues (线索) to see if he or she is being understood, such as eye contact and facial expressions. Performed apologies always have a sense of being "acted out", and are often accompanied by too many unnatural gestures.

For a sincere apology, it is also important to avoid promises that can't be kept. Don't say that you'll make sure that this will not happen again if you're not confident that it won't. It could come back to bite you. And do remember that the use of "but" can hugely change the tone (语气) of an apology. As Stone points out, "I'm sorry but..." sounds like you are making excuses and aren't actually taking any form of responsibility.

【推荐2】In the wild, polar bears spend much of their lives wandering pack ice (浮冰群) in search of food. These bears have adapted to a high fat diet from ocean-going animals: they are rapid and dangerous swimmers, allowing them to easily catch animals as food. Each summer, as the pack ice starts to become smaller, polar bears draw closer to land to give birth to and care for babies. Many give up food during this period, hunting again when the ice returns and living on stored fat.

Pack ice is decreasing globally. When it does form, it disappears more quickly, and tends to be thinner as well. In 2004, several polar bear deaths by drowning were recorded. The bears had been trapped on faraway areas of floating ice, and had tried to swim for land. Due to the disappearance of the ice, they were tired and drowned before reaching shore safely. This problem is likely to grow as the pack ice becomes smaller.

The disappearance of the ice has other impacts for polar bears: they are losing their natural prey (猎物), who are also affected by the loss of habitat. The bears are not very good at catching land animals, and must compete with other species for these food sources. Land animals also don’t provide the high fat diet that polar bears need, which may lead to hunger. Hungry mothers may not be able to provide their babies with the nutrition needed, which will further contribute to the drop in polar bear population.

The deadly factors brought about by global warming put polar bears at risk. Drops in birth and survival rates have already been documented, and biologists are increasingly concerned   about the animals’ odd behavior as a result of the loss of their natural habitat. Environmental organizations believe a global effort is needed to fight against global warming before it is too late for polar bears, as well as many other species that call Earth home.

【推荐3】Are you a fan of social media(媒体)? Well, you must know this news: There are some hot social media dogs who probably have way more followers than you. Here are some of them.

Boo has been called the “World’s Cutest Dog” and has over 17 million fans on the social networking website Facebook alone. The Pomeranian has appeared on the TV program “Good Morning America "lots of times. There are Boo toys, Boo notebooks and other things for sale in stores. You can also find Boo on social networking websites Twitter and Instagram.

Monty is a dog with a lot to say, usually through several messages on Twitter per day. Monty, a shepherd dog, discusses how his owner treats him badly with things like baths, and notes interesting things he sees on walks in the country (like dead sheep). At just under 4,000 Twitter followers, he isn't the dog with the largest following, but Monty is one very active social media dog.

These dogs aren’t just social media dogs---they are actually" government officials". The dogs belong to California governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. and his wife. Sutter, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, is the “first dog ”and Lucy, a “ borgie” is the “deputy(代理) first dog” of California. Lucy and Sutter Brown have over 16,000 Facebook fans.

Tuna is a “chiweenie”---a mix between a Chihuahua and a Dachshund---who was rescued (解救)after he was left on the side of the road. His new mom not only fell in love with him and decided to keep him forever, she also turned the little dog into a popular dog on Instagram. Tuna has 1.6 million Instagram followers.