About 70,000,000 Americans are trying to lose weight. That is almost 1 out of every 3 people in the United States. Some people eat ___36__ food and they hardly(几乎不) have any fats or sweets. Others do running ,exercise with machines, take medicines, or even have operations(手术). ___37___ you can see losing weight is __38___ work, and it will also cost a lot of money. But ___39__ do many people in the United States want to lose weight?

Many people in the United States are worried about their look of the body. For many people， looking nice also means to be____40____ . Other people worry about their health as many doctors ___41____ overweight is not good.

Most people want to find an____42___ way to take off  fat，and books of this kind are very popular. These books tell people how to lose weight. Each year a lot of new books like these are ___43___. Each one says it can easily help people take fat away.

Losing weight can be ___44___ . Some overweight people go to health centres， like La Costa in California. Men and women ____45____several hundred dollars a day at these health centres. People live there for one week or two，____46____ exercise， eating different foods. Meals there may be just a little. All these work for losing weight. ____47___ 4 days on the programme， one woman called Mrs. Warren lost 5 pounds （2.27kg）. At $ 400 a day， she spent $ 320 to lose each pound. But she said she was still ____48____ to do so.

Health centres， books， medicines， operations， running and exercise machines all ___49__ a lot of money. So in the United States， losing weight may mean losing ___50__ too.

  36. A. less            B. more         C. nice           D. fast

  37. A. For            B. So           C. Or             D. And

  38. A. good           B. useful        C. hard           D. easy

  39. A. why            B. what         C. how           D. when

  40. A. high           B. short         C. thin            D. fat

  41. A. talk            B. say          C. speak          D. tell        

  42. A. dearer          B. harder        C. shorter         D. easier

  43. A. taken          B. given         C. written          D. copied

  44. A. cheap          B. expensive      C. easy           D. safe

  45. A. pay           B. cost          C. take            D. have

  46. A. making        B. taking        C. playing         D. using

  47. A. Before        B. In            C. After           D. At

  48. A. sorry          B. angry         C. sad            D. glad

  49. A. need          B. have          C. use            D. get

  50. A. health        B. time           C. food           D. money

“Happy Birthday!” David awoke to the voice of his mother. “It’s time to get up and drive out to 35  grandfather’s farm.”  
“Why do we have to go there? And how long is the drive?” he asked with a sad look in his eyes.
“About two hours…and don’t worry, we’ ll bring your birthday   36  with us.” His mother walked away and left him to get ready. 
In less than an hour, David and his parents were on their way.   37  of what the colorful birthday packages had inside filled his head. He was   38  that one had the baseball glove he wanted, while others would have amazing things that he had dreamed about. Thinking of his grandfather, David   39  what his birthday present from him might be. 
“Since my grandfather has a large farm, he must have a lot of money, and the bigger his present for me will be,” David said to himself.
Finally they   40 . Hugging his grandfather, David excitedly shouted, “I’ve missed you! You know, today’s my birthday. Did you get me a present?”
“I have missed you, too. And I have a very   41  present for you.”
Placing a small box in David’s hand, he quietly said, “This is a very important gift. I hope you will treasure it as   42  as I have.”  
David looked at the small box, thinking money or jewels might be inside…. When he opened the box, David was   43  to see only a stone. It was a very beautiful stone, but was it valuable?
Grandfather spoke more slowly than before, “David, when your grandma and I were first married, we had very little money. She wanted to give me something special for my birthday, so she found this beautiful rock and polished(打磨)it day and night   44  it shined. It was the greatest gift I ever   45  because it came from your grandma’s heart. Now, I want you to have it because it comes from my heart.” 
David held the stone in his hand and   46  the love of his grandfather. “This is a wonderful gift…thank you, Grandfather.” He knew he had received the best gift ever. 

“Happy Birthday!” David awoke to the voice of his mother. “It’s time to get up and drive out to 35  grandfather’s farm.”  

“Why do we have to go there? And how long is the drive?” he asked with a sad look in his eyes.

“About two hours…and don’t worry, we’ ll bring your birthday   36  with us.” His mother walked away and left him to get ready. 

In less than an hour, David and his parents were on their way.   37  of what the colorful birthday packages had inside filled his head. He was   38  that one had the baseball glove he wanted, while others would have amazing things that he had dreamed about. Thinking of his grandfather, David   39  what his birthday present from him might be. 

“Since my grandfather has a large farm, he must have a lot of money, and the bigger his present for me will be,” David said to himself.

Finally they   40 . Hugging his grandfather, David excitedly shouted, “I’ve missed you! You know, today’s my birthday. Did you get me a present?”

“I have missed you, too. And I have a very   41  present for you.”

Placing a small box in David’s hand, he quietly said, “This is a very important gift. I hope you will treasure it as   42  as I have.”  

David looked at the small box, thinking money or jewels might be inside…. When he opened the box, David was   43  to see only a stone. It was a very beautiful stone, but was it valuable?

Grandfather spoke more slowly than before, “David, when your grandma and I were first married, we had very little money. She wanted to give me something special for my birthday, so she found this beautiful rock and polished(打磨)it day and night   44  it shined. It was the greatest gift I ever   45  because it came from your grandma’s heart. Now, I want you to have it because it comes from my heart.” 

David held the stone in his hand and   46  the love of his grandfather. “This is a wonderful gift…thank you, Grandfather.” He knew he had received the best gift ever.