For many years, I was convinced that my suffering was due to my size. I believed that when the weight disappeared, it would take old wounds, hurts and rejections with it.

Many weight-conscious people also mistakenly believe that changing our bodies will fix everything. Perhaps our worst mistake is believing that being thin equals being loved, being special, and being cherished. We fantasize about what it will be like when we reach the long-awaited goal. We work very hard to realize this dream. Then, at last, we find ourselves there.

But we often gain back what we have lost. Even so, we continue to believe that next time it will be different. Next time, we will keep it off. Next time, being thin will finally fulfill its promise of everlasting happiness, self-worth, and, of course, love.

It took me a long while to realize that there was something more for me to learn about beauty. Beauty standards vary with culture. In Samoa a woman is not considered attractive unless she weighs more than 200 pounds. More importantly, if it’s happiness that we want, why not put our energy there rather than on the size of our body? Why not look inside? Many of us strive hard to change our body, but in vain. We have to find a way to live comfortably inside our body and make friends with and cherish ourselves. When we change our attitudes toward ourselves, the whole world changes.

56. What does the underlined word “everything” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. All the problems.     B. All the properties.

C. The whole world.    D. The absolute truth.

57. What can be inferred about the author?

A. The author is a Samoan.

B. The author succeeded losing weight.

C. The author has been troubled by her weight.

D. The author probably got wounded in an accident.

58. According to the text, those who have lost weight first and gained it back later feel _______.

A. angry about the regained weight   

B. indifferent to the regained weight

C. optimistic about future plans on weight control

D. they should give up their future plans on weight control

59. The text tries to stress the importance of ____________.

A. body size                 B. attitudes toward life 

C. culture difference          D. different beauty standards

When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship．Having been a Straight-A student，I believed I could 36 tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne．I was extremely interested in the ideas he 37 in class．

    When I took the first exam，I was 38  to find a 77，C-plus, on my test paper,  39 English was my best subject，I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained  40．  

    I decided to try harder, although I didn’t know what that  41 because school had always been easy for me．I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again，I  42 with Professor Jayne．Again，he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his  43．

    One more test before the final exam．One more  44  to improve my grade．So I redoubled my efforts and for the first time 45  the meaning of the word "thorough”. But my 46 did no good and everything 47 as before.

    The last hurdle (障碍) was the final．No matter what 48  I got, it wouldn’t cancel three C-pluses．I might as well kiss the  49  goodbye．

    I stopped working hard．I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would．The night before the final，I even 50 myself to a movie．The next day I decided for once I'd have 51 with a test．

    A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A．I hurried into Professor Jayne's office. He 52 to be expecting me．“If I gave you the As you 53，you wouldn’t continue to work as hard．’’

    I stared at him，54 that his analysis and strategy were correct. I had worked my head 55, as I had never done before． 

I was speechless when my course grade arrived：A-Plus．It was the only A-plus given．The next year I received my scholarship．I've always remembered Professor Jayne’s lesson：you alone must set your own standard of excellence．

36．A．take                 B．discuss                   C．cover              D．get

37．A．sought                    B．presented         C．exchanged       D．obtained

38．A．shocked           B．worried                   C．scared             D．anxious

39．A．but                         B．so                          C．for                  D．or

40．A．unchanged              B．unpleasant        C．unfriendly D．unmoved

41．A．reflected          B． meant                   C．improved  D．affected

42．A．quarreled         B．reasoned          C．bargained  D．chatted

43．A．attitude            B．mind                C．plan             D．view

44．A．choice                    B．step                        C．chance           D．measure

45．A．memorized              B．considered              C．accepted   D．1earned

46．A．ambition          B．confidence              C．effort            D．method

47．A．stayed                    B．went                C．worked            D．changed

48．A．grade               B．answer                   C．lesson            D．comment

49．A．scholarship             B．course                    C．degree             D．subject

50．A．helped                    B．favored                   C．treated             D．relaxed

51．A．fun                         B．luck                 C．problems  D．tricks

52．A．happened         B．proved                    C．pretended  D．seemed

53．A．valued                    B．imagined          C．expected   D．welcomed

54．A．remembering    B．guessing          C．supposing D．realizing

55．A．out                         B．over                C．on                   D．off

---Life is full of opportunities for you.

---That’s right. _____.

A. It’s my cup of tea　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. I have butterflies in my stomach

C. It will cost an arm and a leg　　　　　　 D. The world is my oyster　

 For quite _____ students，their teacher's advice is more important than _____ of their parents．

A. few；one     B. a little；some   C. a few；that    D. a lot；many

 “I       in the dormitory, watching the live TV broadcast about the tsunami.” David told the policeman who had driven there to question him.

A. was staying    B. stay          C. stayed         D. am staying

 The cousins are alike in age，but ________ they are as different as day and night.

A. besides            B. anyhow       C. otherwise      D. moreover

 “Judging the voice, and not the appearance” makes the show---The Voice

of China _______from the numerous other reality shows in China.

 A. stand out     B. knock off      C. take on        D. get through

 None of the underwater workers has been harmed by the great fish. ________, most fish were so friendly that they played with the instruments.

A. Instead        B. Even though   C. However      D. Though

---These grapes look really beautiful.

---They ______! See the price $3.99 a pound. Very expensive, aren’t they!

A. would　 　　 B. could　　　　 C. might　　　　 D. should

 ---Mr. Huang, National Day is coming…

--- _________ ? Just occupy yourself in your study．

A. So what        B. What if      C. How come      D. What for