I never imagined that someone telling me I looked skinny would anger me. And yet, I was made very angry when a colleague pinched (捏) my waist and screamed, “Rosa, you’ve lost weight. You look great!” The truth is that I was tired and not taking care of myself. I decided to start a proper weight-loss program.
The first to go would be road rage (路怒). I am in far less control of this weight than any other. Every time something gets in the way, I fly off the handle. I need to lose the road rage! No, no more speed. Instead, I now repeat the words, “I am not in a hurry.” This year, I will drive safely, allowing the “stupid” to happen all around me. From that, I hope to gain patience.
Next is guilt. When guilt drives my conscience to do better, it’s functional. But when it presents itself as an internal dialogue that goes nowhere, it’s useless. This year, I want to stop feeling guilty for not keeping a cleaner house, for spending time away from my children to be with friends, for not attending every party because I’d rather be at home, or for watching TV when I should be reading. My image and performance are not at the back of anyone else’s mind but my own. From this, I hope to gain freedom to be myself.
The last is fear. Fear has held me back. Fear of failure has prevented me from being a writer. Fear of embarrassment has prevented me from giving an opinion. Fear of being rejected has stopped me from aiming higher in my life. Fear of regret has led me into situations that made me uncomfortable. If I can lose any one of these fears, I stand to gain experience.
So, if I can lose the rage, shake off some guilt, and take fear off my plate, I stand to gain patience, freedom, and experience. Pound for pound I have not lost a thing but I will be much lighter. Next time, I hope my colleague looks me in the eye to see my glow instead of pinching part of me that has nothing to do with how great I really look.
4. What does the underlined part “fly off the handle” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Pick up speed. | B.Drive off. |
C.Desert the car. | D.Lose control of anger. |
5. What has made the author feel guilty before?
A.Attending too many parties. |
B.Reading much with her children. |
C.Wasting her time in watching TV. |
D.Spending little time with her friends. |
6. How has fear affected the author?
A.It has prevented her achieving her goals. |
B.It has made situations complicated for her. |
C.It has stopped her furthering her education. |
D.It has made it difficult for her to make friends. |
7. Which of the following may be the best title?
A.Stop Body Shaming | B.Lighten You Mind |
C.Watch Your Weight | D.Avoid Body Contact |