20．In Africa，wild baboons（狒狒） like banding together to find food and protect each other．They may not be the smartest species，but like all animals，survival instincts（本能） are programmed into their DNA．They know that being together makes them safer．
Now think about your school．Sure，no one is trying to eat you alive，but you too are a social animal．And you are one who has been thrown into a fierce environment．From day one，you sense that there's safety in numbers．And once you follow that animal instinct to form packs，you feel more secure．"When I first walked into my new high school last year，I was so nervous，"says Mike，15，a high school student in New York City．"Everyone sat and walked together，in twos or threes-sometimes as a‘group'of five or more people．I didn't understand how I would ever belong．"
Mike isn't alone．In a survey，63percent of teens told us they feel pressure to fit in or be popular，and 91percent said their schools are divided into groups．
It is believed that to be popular is to be liked．But all popular people aren't necessarily liked．They just make rules．Popular groups aren't the only ones making rules．Zoe，a freshman from New York，says that even her close crew，which calls itself the"booknerds（书呆子），"has unspoken guidelines．When Zoe wears makeup or a dress，her friends act like she's betrayed them："They'll say，‘Oh，she's painting her nails．She's a popular girl now．'They're joking，but they're not，if you know what I mean．It makes me upset．"
"Because of the way the teen brain works，differences are seen as threatening，"says researcher Alexandra Robbins．"But usually these differences are things that make a person successful in adulthood．"
Take，for example，Adam Levine of the band Maroon 5．In high school，he was a"nerdy，awkward kid crazy about music．"Now he's successful and famous．Then there's Taylor Swift：Instead of trying to fit in with the cool kids who rejected her，she put her energy into songwriting．
27．When Mike first came to his high school，heD．
A．was excited to make new friends
B．was proud of his new pretty school
C．was pretty nervous about his coming exams
D．was worried about finding new companions
28．Which of the following would the author most probably agree with？D
A．Most of us like popular people．
B．Only popular groups make rules．
C．Being popular is important to students．
D．There are always some rules in a group．
29．Seeing Zoe wearing makeup or a dress，her friendsB．
A．praise her
B．appear unhappy
C．are proud of her
D．are envious of her
30．Which of the following is TRUE about Taylor Swift as a student？C
A．She was very popular．
B．She had many friends．
C．She was devoted to her hobby．
D．She was one of the coolest kids．
分析 本文是议论文．学生们为了有安全感常常结伴而行．
解答 27．D．细节理解题．由第二段末的1 was so nervous…how I would ever belong 可知是担心寻找新的同伴．所以答案选D．
28．D．推理判断题．由第四段中的 Popular groups aren't the only ones…unspoken guidelines 可推断，一群人中总是存在一些规则．所以答案选D．
29．B．推理判断题．由第四段末的her friends act like she*s betrayed them…They're joking，but they，re not，if you know what I mean．It makes me upset可推断，看到Zoe化着妆或穿着 连衣裙，她的号称"书呆子"的朋友们 会显得不开心．所以答案选B．
30．C．细节理解题．由文章末句 Instead of trying to fit in with the cool kids who rejected her，she put her energy into songwriting 可知，Taylor Swift学生时代专心于她的爱好--歌曲创作．所以答案选C．
点评 阅读理解题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释．考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点．
