I'm fat, I'm too skinny．I'd be happy if I were taller, shorter, had curly hair, straight hair, a smaller nose, bigger muscles, longer legs．
Do any of these statements sound familiar? Are you used to putting yourself down? If so, you' re not alone．As a teen, you're going through many changes in your body．And as your body changes, so does your image of yourself．Lots of people have trouble adjusting, and this can affect their self-esteem （自尊） ．
If you have a positive body image, you probably like and accept yourself the way you are．This healthy attitude allows you to explore other aspects of growing up, such as developing good friendships, growing more independent from your parents, and challenging yourself physically and mentally．Developing these parts of yourself can help boost （提升） yourself-esteem．
A positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle （such as exercising and eating right） are a great combination for building good self-esteem．
Some people think they need to change how they look or act to feel good about themselves． But actually all you need to do is change the way you see your body and how you think about yourself．
The first thing to do is recognize that your body is your own, no matter what shape, size or color it comes in．If you are very worried about your weight or size, check with your doctor to verify （核实） that things are OK．But it is no one's business but your own what your body is like—ultimately, you have to be happy with yourself．
Next, identify which aspects of your appearance you can realistically change and which you can't．Everyone has things about themselves that they can't change and need to accept—like their height, for example, or their shoe size．
When you hear negative comments coming from within yourself, tell yourself to stop．Try building your self-esteem by giving yourself three good things every day．By focusing on the good things you do and the positive aspects of your life, you can change how you feel about yourself．
The most important thing is to get help if you feel like your body image and self-esteem are affecting your life．
小题1:If we have a positive body image, we will_____．
| A．concentrate on our body image only |
| B．not develop strong self-esteem |
| C．like and accept ourselves as we are |
| D．be less independent of our parents |
小题2:______ can NOT help to boost your self-esteem．
| A．Growing independent from your parents |
| B．Accepting your own body as it actually is |
| C．Having a positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle |
| D．Improving your body image as much as you can |
小题3:To improve our body image, we have to _____．
| A．think about ourselves |
| B．be happy with ourselves |
| C．change the shape, size or color of one's body |
| D．check with our doctor to verify that our body is OK |
小题4:Which is probably the best title of the passage?
| A．Importance of Body Image | B．Effects on a Person's Self-esteem |
| C．Tips for Improving Body Image | D．Self-esteem and Body Image |