Question

    In the 1960s, medical researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a checklist of stressful events. They appreciated the tricky point that any major change can be stressful. Bad events like "serious illness of a family member" were high on the list, but so were some helpful life-changing events like marriage.

    When you take the Holmes-Rahe test you must remember that the score does not show how you deal with stress － it only shows how much you have to deal with. And we now know that the way you deal with these events dramatically (戏剧性的) affects your chances of staying healthy. By the early 1970s, hundreds of similar studies had followed Holmes and Rahe. And millions of Americans who work and live under stress worried over the reports. Somehow the research got boiled down to a memorable message. Women's magazines ran titles like "Stress causes illness".   

 If you want to stay physically and mentally healthy the articles said avoid stressful events. But such simplistic advice is impossible to follow. Even if stressful events are dangerous , many — like the death of a loved one — are impossible to avoid. Moreover, any warning to avoid all stressful events is a prescription (处方) for staying away from chances as well as trouble. Since any change can be stressful, a person who wanted to be completely free of stress would never marry, have a child, take a new job or move. The idea that all stress makes you sick also takes no notice of a lot of what we know about people. It supposes we' re all vulnerable and not active in the face of the difficult situation. But what about human ability and creativity? Many come through periods of stress with more physical and mental strength than they had before. We also know that a long time without change or challenge can lead to boredom and physical and mental pressure.

1.The result of Holmes-Rahe’s medical research tells us _________________.

     A. the way you deal with major events may cause stress

     B. what should be done to avoid stress

     C. what kind of event would cause stress

     D. how to deal with sudden changes in life

2.The studies on stress in the early 1970s led to ___________________.

     A. popular avoidance of stressful jobs      

B. great fear over the mental disorder

C. a careful research into stress-related illnesses

D. widespread worry about its harmful effects

3.The score of the Holmes-Rahe test shows ________________.

A. how you can deal with life-changing events  

B. how helpful events can change your life

C. how stressful a major event can be          

D. how much pressure you are under

4.Why is “such simplistic advice” (Line 1, Paragraph 3) impossible to follow?

     A. No one can stay on the same job for long.    

B. No prescription is effective in reducing stress.

C. People have to get married someday.         

D. You could be missing chances as well.

5.According to the passage people who have experienced ups and downs may become _______.

A. nervous when faced with difficulties          B. physically and mentally tired

C. more able to deal with difficulties            D. cold toward what happens to them

Answer

1.A。主旨大意题。难度较大。根据文章前面的叙述，其意为“分数无法向你表明你怎样对待压力，只表明你承受多大程度的压力”。做题时，可以紧接着看后面一句，即你处理这些事件的方式会很戏剧性地影响你保持健康的机会。

2.D。细节理解题。文章中有“millions of Americans who work and live under stress worried over the reports”，表明这一阶段的研究给人带来更多的是担扰，并且从一些杂志用的标题上都可以显示出来。

3.D。推理判断题。根据文章第二自然段中“it only shows how much you have to deal”只是表明你承受多大程度的压力”可知。

4.B。推理判断题。根据上句所述”文章告诉我们应避免压力事件”，其实这是不可行的。从文章一开始就可以得知，无论是“悲伤还是喜悦”的事，都会带来压力，所以这种a小vice是不可行的，言外之意是没有哪个处方在减轻压力方面是奏效的。

5.C。推理判断题。经历过ups and downs的人，能够更加有能力处理困难。

本文主要论述压力的产生及人人都不应该逃避压力。文中用了很多高级词汇，且有许多复杂难句，阅读时请注意认真分析。