2017年12月英语四级阅读练习（四）
At some time in your life, you may have a strong desire to do somethingstrange or terrible. However, chances are that you don't act on your impulse,
but let it pass instead. You know that to commit the action is wrong in some way
and that other people will not accept your behavior. Perhaps the most
interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change
over the years within the same society, how certain behavior and attitude 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 images 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 been obsessed with staying
slim and "in shape". The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not,
however, the sole reason for Americans' fascination 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.
52. From the passage we can infer taboo is ________.
a strong desire to do something strange or terrible
a crime committed on impulse
behavior considered unacceptable in society's eyes
an unfavorable impression left on other people
53. Based on the ideas presented in the passage we can conclude "being fat"
________ in American society.
will always remain a taboo
is not considered as a taboo by most people
has long been a taboo
may no longer be a taboo someday
54. The topic of fat is ________ many other taboo subjects.
the same as different from more popular than less often
talked about than
55. What does "thin is 'in', and fat is 'out'" mean?
Thin is "inside", and fat is "outside".
Thin is "diligent", and fat is "lazy".
Thin is "youthful", and fat is "spiritless".
Thin is "fashionable", and fat is "unfashionable".
56. Apart from this new understanding of the correlation between health and
exercise, the main reason the passage gives for why so many Americans are
exercising regularly is ________.
their changed life style
their eagerness to stay thin and youthful
their appreciation of the importance of exercise
the encouragement they have received from their companies
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