No woman can be too rich or too thin. This saying often attributed to the late Duchess (公爵夫人) of Windsor embodies much of the odd spirit of our times. Being thin is deemed as such a virtue.

　　The problem with such a view is that some people actually attempt to live by it. I myself have fantasies of slipping into narrow designer cloches. Consequently, I have been on a diet for the better - or worse - part of my life. Being rich wouldn't be bad either, but that won’t happen unless an unknown relative dies suddenly in some distant land, leaving me millions of dollars.

　　Where did we go off the track? When did eating butter become a sin, and a little bit of extra flesh unappealing, if not repellent? All religions have certain days when people refrain from eating and excessive eating is one of Christianity's seven deadly sins. However, until quite recently, most people had a problem getting enough to eat. In some religious groups, wealth was a symbol of probable salvation and high morals, and fatness a sign of wealth and well-being.

　　Today the opposite is true. We have shifted lo thinness as our new mark of virtue. The result is that being fat - or even only somewhat overweight - is bad because it implies a lack of moral strength.

　　Our obsession (迷恋) with thinness is also fueled by health concerns. It is true that in this country we have more overweight people than ever before, and that in many cases, being overweight correlates with an increased risk of heart and blood vessel disease. These diseases, however, may have as much to do with our way of life and our high-fat diets as with excess weight. And the associated risk of cancer in the digestive system may be more of a dietary problem - too much fat and a lack of fiber - than a weight problem.

　　The real concern, then, is not that we weigh too much, but that we neither exercise enough nor eat well. Exercise is necessary for strong bones and both heart and lung health. A balanced diet without a lot of fat can also help the body avoid many diseases. We should surely stop paying so much attention to weight. Simply being thin is not enough. It is actually hazardous if those who get (or already are) thin think they are automatically healthy and thus free from paying attention to their overall life-style. Thinness can be pure vainglory (虚荣).

　　【试题】

　　1. In the eyes of the author, an odd phenomenon nowadays is that____________.

　　A) the Duchess of Windsor is regarded as a woman of virtue

　　B) looking slim is a symbol of having a large fortune

　　C) being thin is viewed as a much desired quality

　　D) religious people are not necessarily virtuous

　　2. Swept by the prevailing trend, the author_____________.

　　A) had to go on a diet for the greater part of her life

　　B) could still prevent herself from going off the crack

　　C) had to seek help from rich distant relatives

　　D) had to wear highly fashionable clothes

　　3. In human history, people's views on body weight_____________.

　　A) were closely related to their religious beliefs

　　B) changed from time to time

　　C) varied between the poor and the rich

　　D) led to different moral standards

　　4. The author criticizes women’s obsession with thinness

　　A) from an economic and educational perspective

　　B) from sociological and medical points of view

　　C) from a historical and religious standpoint

　　D) in the light of moral principles

　　5. What's the author's advice to women who are absorbed in the idea of thinness?

　　A) They should be more concerned with their overall life style.

　　B) They should be more watchful for fatal diseases.

　　C) They should gain weight m Jook healthy.

　　D) They should rid themselves of fantasies about designer clothes.