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(同龄人). 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.
【小题1】What is the topic of the passage?

They say money doesn’t grow on trees. But it certainly appears to do so on the mysterious coin-studded(嵌满) trunks dotted around the UK’s woodland. The strange phenomenon of old trees with coins fixed firmly all over their bark has been spotted on trails from the Peak District to the Scottish Highlands. The coins are usually knocked into felled (砍伐的) tree trunks using stones by passers-by, who hope it will bring them good fortune.
These fascinating spectacles often have coins from centuries ago buried deep in their bark and warped by the passage of time. The tradition of making offerings to gods at wishing trees dates back hundreds of years, but this combination of the man-made and the natural is far more rare. It used to be believed that god’s spirits lived in trees, and they were often decorated with sweets and gifts — as is still done today at Christmas. The act is like tossing money into ponds for good luck, or the trend for couples to attach “love padlocks” to bridges and fences to symbolize lasting romance. Some pubs, such as the Punch Bowl in Askham, Cumbria, have old timbers with splits in them into which coins are forced for luck. There are seven felled tree trunks with coins pushed into them in the picturesque village of Portmeirion, in Wales.
Meurig Jones, an estate manager at the tourist destination, told the BBC, “We had no idea why it was being done when we first noticed the tree trunk was being filled with coins. I did some detective work and discovered that trees were sometimes used as ‘wishing trees’. In Britain it dates back to the 1700s — there is one tree somewhere in Scotland which apparently has an old coin stuck into it. ” He said that a sick person could press a coin into a tree and their illness would go away. If someone then takes the coin out though, it’s said they then become ill. We haven’t made it known at all, it’s just happened,” he added. “It’s quite amazing really.” In Scotland, there is also a legend about a kissing tree. If a young man could drive a nail into a tree with one blow, he earned a kiss from his sweetheart.
【小题1】What was the real reason why in UK people knocked coins into the old trees?

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.
【小题1】For whom is the passage most probably written?

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．
【小题1】For whom is the passage most probably written?

As a teenager, I felt I was always letting people down. I was rebellious(叛逆)on the outside,      on the inside I wanted people to     .

Once I left home to hitchhike(搭便车)to California with my friend Penelope. The trip wasn’t     , and there were many times I didn’t feel safe. One situation in particular       me grateful to still be alive. When I returned home, I was different—not so outwardly sure of myself.

I was happy to be home. But then I noticed that Penelope, who was       with us, was wearing my clothes. And my       seemed to like her better than me. I wondered if I would be       if I weren’t there. I told my mom, and she explained that       Penelope was a lovely girl, no one could       me. I pointed out, “She is more patient and is neater than I have ever been.” My mom said these were wonderful      , but I was the only person who could fill my      . She made me realize that even with my      , —and they were many—I was a loved member of the family who couldn’t be replaced.

I became a searcher,       who I was and what made me unique. My       of myself was changing. I wanted a solid base to start from. I started to resist pressure to       in ways that I didn’t like any more, and I       who I really was. I came to feel much more       that no one can ever take my place.

Each of us       a unique place in the world. You are special, no matter what others say or what you may think. So       about being replaced. You       be.

1.A. and    B. but        C. as D. for

2.A. leave B. replace C. receive D. like

3.A. easy   B. hard      C. fun        D. long

4.A. made B. kept      C. left        D. forced

5.A. playing       B. eating   C. staying  D. travelling

6.A. family         B. friends  C. relatives        D. neighbors

7.A. loved B. mentioned    C. cared    D. missed

8.A. since B. as C. while     D. unless

9.A. scold B. compare        C. replace D. match

10.A. qualities   B. girls       C. people  D. times

11.A. character          B. role       C. task       D. form

12.A. faults        B. advantages    C. manners        D. pities

13.A. looking at          B. looking back C. seeking out   D. giving up

14.A. picture     B. view      C. sense    D. advice

15.A. think         B. learn     C. change D. act

16.A. hated       B. celebrated    C. wished  D. expected

17.A. sure          B. doubtful        C. happy   D. lonely

18.A. takes        B. catches C. seizes    D. holds

19.A. talk  B. forget   C. care      D. argue

20.A. mustn’t B. shouldn’t    C. can’t  D. needn’t