boo 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] 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

　　53. Based on the ideas presented in the passage we can conclude "being fat" ________ in American society.

　　[A] will always remain a taboo

　　[B] is not considered as a taboo by most people

　　[C] has long been a taboo

　　[D] may no longer be a taboo someday

　　54. 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

　　55. What does "thin is 'in', and fat is 'out'" mean?

　　[A] Thin is "inside", and fat is "outside".

　　[B] Thin is "diligent", and fat is "lazy".

　　[C] Thin is "youthful", and fat is "spiritless".

　　[D] 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 ________.

　　[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

　　Passage Two

　　Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

　　We can begin our discussion of "population as global issue" with what most persons mean when they discuss "the population problem": too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute; it was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to "a long, thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes".

　　To understand the current situation, which is characterized by rapid increases in population, it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8,000 years of demographic history, we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors, life was hard, often nasty, and very short. There was high fertility in most places, but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history, it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty, while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often, societies were in clear danger of ex

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