In many societies, there is often greater acceptance of light skin than dark skin．Light skin may be seen as a mark of beauty, intelligence and success．These beliefs can lead to social pressure even within the same racial or ethnic group, if some members are darker skinned than others．

   The result is that skin lightening has become a common activity across Africa, Asia and other areas of the world．More and more people with dark skin are using skin-lightening products, even if they may face health risks.

   They believe that having whiter skin will improve their lives．Many people think they will have a better chance of getting a job or marrying into a better family．Or they want to look like what their society generally considers beautiful.

   Some beauty care products and soaps contain chemicals that make skin lighter．This process is also called bleaching．But some of the chemicals are extremely dangerous．One of the chemicals has been linked to kidney (肾) damage and some kinds of cancer．It also causes low birth weight in babies when mothers use it during pregnancy．

   At first, bleaching products make the skin color lighter．But after long-term use they can cause problems．They can even make some skin darker．The chemicals in the products block and break down the natural process that gives color to skin．The skin loses its natural barrier to protect against sunlight．Then the skin can become thick and discolored．Usually the person will use more of the product in an effort to correct the problem, but this only makes it worse.

   Fatimata Ly treats skin conditions in the Senegalese capital，Dakar．Doctor Ly says skin bleaching has become a problem throughout Senegal．She says the chemicals are now more dangerous because they are stronger．Some cases have resulted in blackened fingernails, infections and permanent skin damage．

   And these are not the only risks．Experts say some people who change their skin color suffer emotional damage．They feel regret and sadness．They feel that instead of risking their health, they should have learned to love and accept their skin color as it was．

1．Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “bleaching”?

         A．whitening          B．changing        C．lighting            D．pleasing

2．Why has the skin lightening become a common activity all over the world?

         A．There are many products that can make the dark skin light.

         B．Many people with dark skin have no confidence.

         C．Relatively speaking, light skin has more advantages over dark skin.

         D．People with dark skin are forced by the pressure of their families.

3．According to the text the following are the risks using the bleaching products EXCEPT______.

       A．blackened fingernails                     B．permanent skin damage

       C．emotional damage                    D．a waste of time and money

4．From the text we can conclude the writer’s attitude toward using the bleaching products is probably ___________．

         A．supportive    B．positive           C．doubtful         D．negative                   

In many societies, there is often greater acceptance of light skin than dark skin. Light skin may be seen as a mark of beauty, intelligence and success. These beliefs can lead to social pressure even within the same racial or ethnic group, if some members are darker skinned than others.

   The result is that skin lightening has become a common activity across Africa, Asia and other areas of the world. More and more people with dark skin are using skin-lightening products, even if they may face health risks.

   They believe that having whiter skin will improve their lives. Many people think they will have a better chance of getting a job or marrying into a better family. Or they want to look like what their society generally considers beautiful.

   Some beauty care products and soaps contain chemicals that make skin lighter. This process is also called bleaching. But some of the chemicals are extremely dangerous. One of the chemicals has been linked to kidney (肾) damage and some kinds of cancer. It also causes low birth weight in babies when mothers use it during pregnancy.

   At first, bleaching products make the skin color lighter. But after long-term use they can cause problems. They can even make some skin darker. The chemicals in the products block and break down the natural process that gives color to skin. The skin loses its natural barrier to protect against sunlight. Then the skin can become thick and discolored. Usually the person will use more of the product in an effort to correct the problem, but this only makes it worse.

   Fatimata Ly treats skin conditions in the Senegalese capital，Dakar. Doctor Ly says skin bleaching has become a problem throughout Senegal. She says the chemicals are now more dangerous because they are stronger. Some cases have resulted in blackened fingernails, infections and permanent skin damage.

   And these are not the only risks. Experts say some people who change their skin color suffer emotional damage. They feel regret and sadness. They feel that instead of risking their health, they should have learned to love and accept their skin color as it was.

Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “bleaching”?

A. whitening        B. changing       C. lighting        D. pleasing

Why has the skin lightening become a common activity all over the world?

A. There are many products that can make the dark skin light.

B. Many people with dark skin have no confidence.

C. Relatively speaking, light skin has more advantages over dark skin.

D. People with dark skin are forced by the pressure of their families.

According to the text the following are the risks using the bleaching products EXCEPT________.

  A. blackened fingernails               B. permanent skin damage

  C. emotional damage                  D. a waste of time and money

From the text we can conclude the writer’s attitude toward using the bleaching products is probably ________.

A. supportive        B. positive       C. doubtful       D. negative 

Until late in the 20th century most Americans spent time with people of different generations. Now middle-aged Americans may not keep in touch with old people until they are old themselves.

That's because we group people by age. We put our three-year-olds together in day-care centers, our 13-year-olds in schools and sport activities, and our 80-year-olds in senior citizen homes. Why?

   We live far away from the old for many reasons. Young people sometimes avoid the old to get rid of fears of becoming old and dying. It is much harder to watch someone we love disappear before our eyes. Sometimes it’s got hard that we stay away from the people who need us the most.

Fortunately, some of us have found our way to the old. And we have discovered that they often save the young.

A reporter moved her family into a block filled with old people. At first her children were disappointed. But the reporter made banana bread for the neighbors and had her children send it and visit them. Soon the children had many new friends, with whom they shared food, stories and projects. "My children have never been lonely, "the reporter said.

The young, in turn, save the old. Once I was in a rest home (an organization where old people are cared for) when a visitor showed up with a baby, she was immediately surrounded. People who hadn't gotten out of bed in a week suddenly were ringing for a wheelchair. Even those who had seemed asleep woke up to watch the child. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.

Grandparents are a special case. They give their grandchildren a feeling of security and continuity. As my husband put it "My grandparents gave me a deep sense that things would turn out right in the end." Grandchildren speak of attention they don't get from worried parents. "My parents were always telling me to hurry up, and my grandparents told me to slow down," one friend said. A teacher told me she can tell which pupils have relationships with grandparents: they are quieter, calmer and more trusting.

1.Now in an American family, people can find that___________.

   A. children never live with their parents                           

   B. not all working people live with their parents

   C. old people are supported by their grandchildren       

   D. grandchildren are supported by their grandparents

2. Seeing a baby, the old people got excited because _______.

   A. they had never seen a baby before                        

   B. the baby was clever and beautiful                   

   C. the baby brought them the image of life                  

   D. the baby's mother would take care of them           

3. Why are some children quieter, calmer and more trusting ?

   A. Because they have relationships with their grandparents.     

   B. Because their worried parents ask them to act like that.

   C . Because they have nothing to worry about.                       

   D. Because their teachers ask them to act like that.

4. Which of the following can show the fact that the old often save the young?

   A. The old can become friends of the children and the children may not feel lonely.

   B. The old get excited when they see a baby.

   C. The old can cure the young when they are sick.

   D. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.

When you watch TV programs about wild animals, it is surprising to see how an antelope can escape a lion’s attack. In the wilderness, everyone has a stunt. Even plants have their own ways of fighting off enemies.

Over millions of years of evolution, plants have developed a unique defence system. Chemicals are wildly used for survival. By making their leaves, flowers, roots and fruits distasteful or poisonous(有毒的) to enemies, plants can fight back.

One such plant is the Golden Wattle tree. The British scientist David Cameron has found when an animal eats the tree’s leaves, the amount of poison increases in the other leaves. “It’s like the damaged leaves telephoning the others telling them to fight together against the enemy, ” he said.

The tree also sends defence messages to neighboring plants by giving out a special smell. Golden Wattle trees in the surrounding 45 meters will get the message and produce more poison within 10 minutes. Now, if an enemy eats too many of the trees’ leaves, it will die.

Every species of plant or tree is good at the production of a particular set of chemicals. A herbivore that can safely eat the leaves of one tree may be poisoned by its neighbor.

In this way, plants have developed not only individual defence system, but also shared it with others. This makes it impossible for a single animal to destroy even a small area of forest.

1. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

2.According to the study, if one Golden Wattle tree is attacked by animals, it can________.

3. In this passage the underlined word “herbivore” probably means animals which ________.

4.The last paragraph of the passage suggests that this kind of defence system________.