Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo(禁忌的) behavior is how it can change over the years within the same society, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting and unpleasant that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject.

　　One of the newest taboos in American society is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that Americans talk about constantly. It's not taboo to talk about fat; it's taboo to be fat. The "in" look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, trim executives to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline, and self-respect. In an image-conscious society like the U. S. , thin is "in", fat is "out".

　　It's not surprising, then, that millions of Americans have become obsessed (著迷) with staying slim and "in shape". The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the sole reason for America's obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the critical importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of North Americans has changed dramatically during the course of the last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor that people were once forced to do by hand. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people's bodies can easily become weak and vulnerable to disease. In an effort to avoid such a fate, millions of Americans are spending more of their time exercising every day.

　　1. From the passage we can infer taboo is .

　　A. a strong desire to do something strange or terrible

　　B. a crime committed on impulse

　　C. behavior considered unacceptable in society's eyes

　　D. an unfavorable impression left on other people

　　2、Based on the ideas presented in the passage we can conclude "being fat"_______.

　　A. will always remain a taboo B. is not considered a taboo by most people

　　C. has long been a taboo D. may no longer be a taboo some day

　　3、The topic of fat is_______many other taboo subjects.

　　A. the same as B. different from

　　C. more popular than D. less often talked about than

　　4、In the U. S. , thin is "in", fat is "out", this means_______.

　　A. thin is "inside", fat is "outside"

　　B. thin is "diligent", fat is "lazy"

　　C. thin is "youthful", fat is "spiritless"

　　D. thin is "fashionable", fat is "unfashionable"

　　5、The main reason the passage gives for why so many Americans are exercising regularly is_______.

　　A. their changed life-style

　　B. their eagerness to stay thin and youthful

　　C. their appreciation of the importance of exercise

　　D. the encouragement they have received from their companies

　　1. C 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. B

　　Very old people do raise moral problems for almost everyone who comes in contact with them. Their values—this can't be repeated too often—are not necessarily our values. Physical comfort, cleanness and order are not necessarily the most important things. The social services from time to time find themselves faced with a flat with decaying food covered by small worms, and an old person lying alone in bed, taking no notice of the worms. But is it interfering with personal freedom to insist that they go to live with some of their relatives so that they might be taken better care of? Some social workers, the ones who clear up the worms, think we are in danger of carrying this concept of personal freedom to the point where serious risks are being taken with the health and safety of the old.

　　Indeed, the old can be easily hurt or harmed. The body is like a car, it needs more mechanical maintenance as it gets older. You can carry this comparison right through to the provision of spare parts. But never forget that such operations are painful experiences, however good the results. And at what point should you cease to treat the old body? Is it morally right to try to push off death by pursuing the development of drugs to excite the forgetful old mind and to activate(激活) the old body, knowing that it is designed to die? You cannot ask doctors or scientists to decide, because so long as they can see the technical opportunities, they will feel bound to give them a try, on the principle that while there's life, there's hope.

　　When you talk to the old people, however, you are forced to the conclusion that whether age is happy or unpleasant depends less on money or on health than it does on your ability to have fun.

　　1. It is implied in Paragraph 1 that______.

　　A. very old people enjoy living with their relatives

　　B. social services have nothing to do with very old people

　　C. very old people would like to live alone so that they can have more personal freedom

　　D. very old people are able to keep their rooms very clean

　　2. Some social workers think that______.

　　A. health and safety are more important than personal freedom

　　B. personal freedom is more important than health and safety

　　C. old people should keep their rooms clean

　　D. one should not take the risk of dealing with old people

　　3. In the author's opinion, ______.

　　A. the human body can't be compared to a car

　　B. the older a person, the more care he needs

　　C. too much emphasis has been put on old people's values

　　D. it is easy to provide spare parts for old people

　　4. The word "it" in the last paragraph refers to______.

　　A. the conclusion you have come to B. your talk to the old people

　　C. whether age is happy or unpleasant D. one's money or one's health

　　5. The author thinks that______.

　　A. medical decisions for old people should be left to the doctors

　　B. old people can enjoy a happy life only if they are very rich

　　C. the opinion that we should try every means possible to save old people is doubtful

　　D. it is always morally right to treat old people and push off death

　　答案：1. C 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. C