英语听力精选进阶版 6464

Are you concerned about your body image? These days, both women and men are surrounded by magazines and websites full of tips about dieting, exercise and fashion. Not to mention hairstyles! Gone are the days when all men had to think about was wearing a nice suit to be smart and handsome. Things have changed.

Now, a survey by the University of the West of England has suggested that 80% of men confess to being unhappy about their body. The biggest body issues for them were beer bellies¹ and lack of muscles.

Some think this sudden vanity is due to the pressure or influence of role models we see on TV and in magazines. People end up with a perception of what the perfect body should look like. But not everybody wants to put in the effort to have perfect pecs and dazzling white teeth like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

An opportunistic entrepreneur has even invented a muscle-enhancing shirt to be worn under a man's clothes to make him look more of a hunk.

But Joe Warner, the former editor of Men's Fitness magazine in the UK, thinks the padded shirt is just a gimmick². He thinks many people in the country are obese³, or overweight, and should accept they need to do more exercise.

Warner says: "I think it's a real shame people still want shortcuts⁴ when it doesn't take an awful lot of effort to get to the gym or go for a walk."

Exercise is always a good thing. But we mustn't forget that beauty is only skin deep. Character is more important than appearance.

So before I head off to the pub, it might be worth spending an hour at the gym. I'm not looking to get a six-pack, but looking healthier would certainly improve my confidence and self-esteem.

What about you: how much do you worry about your physique?

Quiz 测验

1. What subjects in magazines and websites might make people concerned about their body image?

Dieting, exercise, fashion and hairstyles.

2. What are men's main worries about their appearance?

According to the survey, they're mainly concerned about lack of muscles and having beer bellies.

3. What is a muscle-enhancing shirt?

It's a padded shirt, worn under men's clothes to make men look more muscular.

4. Which two expressions are used to describe men's chest muscles?

'Pecs' and 'a six-pack'.

5. Which expression means 'a person you admire and whose behaviour you try to copy'?

A role model.

Glossary⁵ 词汇表

body image 身体形象

smart 潇洒的

beer belly⁶ 啤酒肚

vanity 虚荣

role model 榜样

perception 看法

to end up with 以...告终

pecs (short for 'pectorals') 胸大肌

opportunistic 机会主义的

muscle-enhancing 增强肌肉感的

hunk 富有魅力的健美男子，猛男

padded 加衬垫的

gimmick 花招儿

shortcut 捷径

beauty is only skin deep 美貌是肤浅的

six-pack 六块腹肌

self-esteem 自尊心

1 bellies   

n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的

参考例句：

• They crawled along on their bellies. 他们匍匐前进。
• starving children with huge distended bellies 鼓着浮肿肚子的挨饿儿童

2 gimmick   

n.(为引人注意而搞的)小革新，小发明

参考例句：

• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。
• It is just a public relations gimmick.这只不过是一种公关伎俩。

3 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。

4 shortcuts   

n.捷径( shortcut的名词复数 )；近路；快捷办法；被切短的东西（尤指烟草）

参考例句：

• In other words, experts want shortcuts to everything. 换句话说，专家需要所有的快捷方式。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Offer shortcuts from the Help menu. 在帮助菜单中提供快捷方式。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

5 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。

6 belly   

n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛

参考例句：

• The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
• His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。