As you grow older，you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions--like whether to cut class or try cigarettes．Making decisions on your own is hard enough，but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder．People who are your age，like your classmates，are called peers．When they try to influence how you act，to get you to do something，it’s called peer pressure．
Peers can have a positive influence on each other．Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system．Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book，and now everyone’s reading it．These are examples of how peers positively influence each other．
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways．For example，a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball．
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure，but you can do it．Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do．
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely．” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this．If you choose friends who don’t cut class，smoke cigarettes，or lie to their parents，then you probably won’t do these things either，even if other kids do．
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle，talk to someone you trust．Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two．For whom is the passage most probably written?
| A．Students |
| B．Parents |
| C．Teachers |
| D．Doctors |
In the last three paragraphs，the author mainly_____．
| A．explains why friendship is so important |
| B．gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure |
| C．discusses how peers influence us |
| D．shows how to make more good friends |
Which of following may help handle peer pressure?
| A．Spending more time with classmates． |
| B．Taking up more relaxing hobbies． |
| C．Choosing friends with no bad habits． |
| D．Helping others who are in trouble． |
What is the topic of the passage?
| A．Friendship |
| B．Making decisions |
| C．Self-confidence |
| D．Peer pressure |
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Can people change their skin colour without suffering like pop king Michael Jackson？Perhaps yes．Scientists have found the gene that determines skin colour．
The gene comes in two versions，one of which is found in 99 per cent of Europeans．The other
is found in 93 to 100 per cent of Africans，researchers at Pennsylvania State University report in the
latest issue of Science．
Scientists have changed the colour of a dark-striped zebrafish to uniform gold by inserting a version of the pigment（色素）gene into a young fish．As with humans，zebrafish skin colour is determined by pigment cells，which contain melanosomes （黑色素）．The number，size and
darkness of melanosomes per pigment cell determines skin colour．
It appears that，like the golden zebrafish，light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation（变异）in the gene for melanosome production．This results in less pigmented skin．
However，Keith Cheng，leader of the research team，points out that the mutation is different in human and zebrafish genes．
Humans acquired dark skin in Africa about 1．5 million years ago to protect bodies from ultra-
violet rays of the sun（太阳光紫外线），which can cause skin cancer．
But when modern humans leave Africa to live in northern latitudes，they need more sunlight on their skin to produce vitamin D．So the related gene changes，according to Cheng．
Asians have the same version of the gene as Africans，so they probably acquired their light skin through the action of some other gene that affects skin colour，said Cheng．
The new discovery could lead to medical treatments for skin cancer．It also could lead to
research into ways to change skin colour without damaging it like chemical treatment did on Michael Jackson．
72．The passage mainly tells us that_________．
A．people can not change their skin colour without any pain
B．the new discovery could lead to search into ways to change skin colour safely
C．pop king Michael Jackson often changed his skin colour as he liked
D．scientists have found out that people’s skin colour is determined by the gene
73．It can be inferred from the passage that_________．
A．nowadays people who want to change their skin colour have to suffer a lot from the damage caused by the chemical treatment
B．Europeans and Africans have the same gene
C．the new discovery could help to find medical treatments for skin cancer
D．there are two kinds of genes
74．Scientists have done an experiment on a dark-striped zebra fish in order to_________．
A．find the different genes of humans’
B．prove the humans’ skin colour is determined by the pigment gene
C．find out the reason why the Africans’skin colour is dark
D．find out the ways of changing people’s skin colour
75．The reason why Europeans are light-skinned is probably that_________．
A．they are born light-skinned people
B．light-skinned Europeans have mutation in the gene for melanosome production
C．they have fewer activities outside
D．they pay much attention to protecting their skin
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Our spiritual intelligence quotient，or SQ，helps us understand ourselves，and live fuller，
happier lives．
While we’re all born with SQ，most of us don’t even realize that we have it．Fortunately，you don't have to sign up for classes to learn how to improve your SQ．Here are some simple steps that can lead you to this new level of understanding．
Sit Quietly．The process of developing spiritual intelligence begins with solitude（独处）and
silence．To tune in to your spirit，you have to turn down the volume in your busy，noisy，complicated life and force yourself to do nothing at all．Start small by creating islands for silence in
your day．In the car，instead of reading or doing something else，use the time to think．At work，
shut the door to our office between meetings，take a few breaths and let them out very，very slowly．Enjoy the stillness in your home after the kids are finally in bed．
Step Outside．For many people，nature sets their spirit free．Go outside to watch a beautiful
sunset．If you are walking with your dog，take the time to admire flowers in bloom；follow the flight of birds；watch clouds float overhead．
Ask Questions of Yourself．Ask open-ended questions，such as “What am I feeling？” “What are my choices？”or “Where am I heading？” But don’t expect an answer to arrive through some
supernatural form or e-mail．“Rarely do I get an immediate answer to my question，”says Reverend Joan Carter，a Presbyterian（长老会的）minister in Sausalito，California．“But later that day I suddenly find myself thinking about a problem in a perspective（视角）I never considered before．”
Trust Your Spirit．While most of us rely on gut feeling（本能的反应）to realize danger，spiritual intelligence pushes us，not away from，but towards some action that will lead to a greater good．
68．The passage is mainly about_________．
A．what your SQ is and in what way it can benefit your life
B．what your SQ is and in what way it can be improved
C．the relationship between your SQ and your life
D．advantages and disadvantages of SQ
69．The underlined phrase “tune in to your spirit” in the third paragraph probably means______．
A．get your spirit relaxed B．keep up your spirit
C．keep seated quietly D．change your spirit
70．The author mentions the example of Reverend Joan Carter to show that_________．
A．there are no immediate answers to your questions
B．e-mails can’t keep working out a problem
C．the more questions you ask，the better answers you’ll get
D．changing your way of thinking might help you solve a problem
71．From the passage，we can know that the most important thing to improve your SQ is________．
A．a peaceful mind B．deep thought
C．spare time and hobbies D．good spirits
.
Cities of Tomorrow
Middle school students combine science and imagination as they celebrate National Engineers
Week in a Future City Competition．
In the African city of Mwinda，floating farms are quite common．The city’s residents zip around in hydrogen-powered hover（盘旋的）vehicles，and renewable energy resources provide the city’s power．That’s how Jake Bowers，12，Emily Ponti，14，and Krisha Sherburne，12，imagined their future city．
The students，who attend St．Thomas More School in Baton Rouge，Louisiana，took first place
for their design last week in the 2007 National Engineer Week Future City Competition held in
Washington，D．C．The students won a trip to the U．S Space Camp in Huntsville，Alabam．
Kids from 35 middle schools across the country made it to Washington．They had teamed up
with teachers and volunteer engineer mentors（顾问，导师）to develop cities．Each team began by
creating a fictional city on SimCity 3000，a computer game that allows players to construct towns．
The students then built a tabletop model of the city，wrote an essay and presented their creation to a
panel（专门小组） of judges．This year’s theme asked students to design fuel cell powered
communities．Fuel cell technology works by using hydrogen and oxygen to produce power．The
process is environmentally friendly．
Organizers hope the competition provides a fun and educational way to spark young people’s
interest in engineering．“As the number of graduates in engineering（decreases），it’s ever more
important to encourage students to build these skills at an early age，”says John Hofmeister，
President of Shell Oill Company．Shell is a sponsor of the annual Future City contest．Judging by
this year’s competition，plenty of kids are getting the message．Some 30，000 students from more
than 1，000 schools participated in the 2006 －2007 Future City Competition．
64．What is not imagined in the three teenagers’ mind for their future city？
A．Hydrogen-powered hover vehicles．
B．The city’s power provided by renewable energy resources．
C．Floating farms．
D．Oxygen-powered floating factories．
65．Which statement is True according to the passage？
A．St．Thomas More School in Baton Rouge is in Alabama．
B．The 2007 National Engineer Week Future City Competition was held in Lounisiana．
C．The students who took first place for their design won a trip to U．S．Space Camp in
Huntsville．
D．The U．S Space Camp lies in Washington，D，C．．
66．Kids from 35 middle schools_________．
A．could use computers to help them construct their future cities
B．created a real city on Simcity 3000
C．teamed up on their own to develop cities
D．built a tabletop model of the city and presented it to their teachers for judgment
67．It can be inferred that the 2006 －07 Future City Competition_________．
A．will spark young people’s interest in living in Space Camp
B．will decrease the number of graduates in engineering
C．will encourage college students to build engineering skills after their graduation
D．was participated in by 30 students on average in each school
.
Dear Customers，
I love slipping into a comfortable chair for a long read —as I relax into the chair，I also relax
into the author’s words，stories，and ideas．The physical book is so elegant that it disappears into
the background，and what remains is the author’s world．
Today，we at Amaｚon are excited to announce Mindle，a wireless，portable reading device with instant access to more than 90，000 books，magazines，and newspapers．
We’ve been working on Mindle for more than three years．Our top design objective was for
Mindle to disappear in your hands —to get out of the way —so you can enjoy your reading．We
also wanted to go beyond the physical book．Mindle is wireless，so whether you’re lying in bed or riding a train，you can think of a book，and have it in less than 60 seconds．No computer is needed—you do your reading directly from the device．
We chose the same wireless technology used in advanced mobile phones．But unlike mobile
phones，there are no monthly wireless bills，no service or data plans，and no yearly contracts．There
is no software to install．We want you to get lost in your reading and not in the technology．
Mindle uses a new kind of display called electronic paper．Sharp and natural with no strong
light，reading on Mindle is nothing like reading from a computer screen．Mindle weighs only 10.3
ounces —less than a paperback —but can carry two hundred books．
Enjoy learning about Mindle and many thanks！
60．This passage most probably is a（n）_________．
A．advertisement B．news story C．lab report D．letter of thanks
61．From the passage we learn that Mindle is a device（设备）which．
A．has neither wires nor weight B．is operated by a computer
C．disappears while you read D．can find a book within one minute
62．With the device，the reader is able to ．
A．enjoy reading when driving a car B．improve reading skills
C．gain access to free software D．get rid of heavy books made of paper
63．Different from mobile phones，Mindle_________．
A．has a much more friendly screen B．can work in the absence of electricity
C．doesn’t involve regular fees D．is wireless and can be used anywhere
.
第三部分：阅读理解（共20 小题；满分40 分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D 中，选出最佳选项。
President Barack Obama had a big pat on the back for his young daughters on Tuesday，saying
they have taken swimmingly to life in the White House．
After more than a year at the US presidential mansion，Malia Obama，11，and Sasha Obama，
8，have made their dad proud with their ability to balance their private life with life in the public
eye，he told NBC television．
“The happiest thing about the past year and a half has been the girls’ adjustment．They have just been terrific．They’re doing well in school，”Obama said．
“They’re not as constrained．They can wander around．Their Secret Service protection is a lot
more low key，”he explained．“So they’ve got soccer，they’ve got basketball，they go sleep over at their friend’s houses．”
“Sometimes I’ve got 12 little girls screaming on the third floor of the White House．And they
made a great adjustment．”
The president also admitted he was concerned about how his daughters would cope with his
public life as they get a bit older．
“Now I get a little worried about them when they’re teenagers because I think that’s the time
when you’re already embarrassed about your parents，and then imagine if your dad’s in the
newspaper every day and people are calling him an idiot．I feel a little worried about that．”
““But on the other hand，Malia and Sasha have just turned out to be unbelievably well adjusted
kids，”Obama said．
“The thing that’s most important to me is that they are so respectful of everybody and haven’t put on any airs．I attribute that directly to Michelle because she wouldn’t put up with any of that stuff．”
56．Accoding to this interview，_________makes him feel happy？
A．that he has a happy family
B．that his daughters can be accustomed to their new life
C．that he has two good daughters
D．that he succeed in his career as president of the USA
57．What can we infer from the passage ？
A．It is not difficult for little girls to deal with the life in the White House well．
B．Malia and Sasha don’t have many friends because they live in the White House well．
C．Obama is too busy to teach their daughter good manners．
D．There are some bad reports of Obama on the newspaper sometimes．
58．What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean？
A．（they）don’t feel very high B．（they）don’t show off
C．（they）feel very happy D．（they）feel very angry
59．According to the passage，who is Michelle？
A．The children’s maid． B．The children’s teacher．
C．The children’s mother． D．The children’s friend．
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