Question

For many people, being on the job might just sound like a picnic compared to a day at home filled with housework, meals and childcare. Even for those with a happy family life, home can sometimes feel more taxing than work.

In a new study, researchers at Penn State University found significantly and consistently lower levels of cortisol(皮质醇) released in response to stress, in a majority of subjects when they were at work compared to when they were at home. This was true for both men and women, and parents and people without children.

Both men and women showed less stress at work. But women were more likely to report feeling happier there. Men were more likely to feel happier at home. Experts say there are other reasons why work is less stressful than home for many. “Paid work is more valued in society,” says Sarah Damaske, the lead researcher on the study. “Household work is boring and not particularly rewarding.”

We get better at our job with time and the increased competence means less stress and more rewards. Yet none of us, no matter how long we’ve been doing it, ever truly feels like an expert at parenting or even at marriage.

The support and friendship of co-workers also offer stress relief. At home, meanwhile, stress spreads and accumulates quickly. “That’s the reason why most housewives wish they were the bread earners,” Dr. Damaske says.

Much of the advice to families and couples include the warning to “leave work stress at the office” and even to change our mind-set from work to home, for example, a walk around the block. The recent findings, though, suggest our home life, not our attitude, might be due for some change.

1.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “taxing”?

A. stressful.    B. cheerful.    C. worthwhile.    D. rewarding.

2.What did the research in the second paragraph prove?

A. Men felt better at home.

B. Women felt they had less time.

C. Women were easier to feel happier.

D. Most people felt more stress at home.

3.What do most people think of work at office?

A. It is competitive.    B. It improves ability.

C. It can’t relieve stress.    D. It doesn’t always pay off.

4.According to the recent findings, what should we change to solve the problem mentioned?

A. Our attitude.    B. Our mind-set.

C. Our home life.    D. Our working style.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.C

【解析】本文主要讲述一个事实：不管是丈夫还是妻子，不管有没有孩子，他们都认为在家时比上班更有压力，且他们都更愿意上班，尤其是女性。

1. 词义猜测题。根据第一段中being on the job might just sound like a picnic compared to a day at home filled with housework, meals and childcare.可知，与在家做家务带孩子相比，上班简直像野炊一样，因此在家里比上班更加有压力，故选A。

2. 推理判断题。根据第二段的描述可知，不管是男性还是女性，有孩子还是没孩子的，都觉得在家压力更大，故选D。

3. 推理判断题。根据倒数第三段We get better at our job with time and the increased competence means less stress and more rewards.可知，上班能提高自己的能力，故选B。

4. 细节理解题。根据最后一段The recent findings, though, suggest our home life, not our attitude, might be due for some change.可知，需要改变的是家庭生活，故选C。

【名师点睛】

推理判断题要求在理解原文表面文字信息的基础上，做出一定的推理判断，从而得到文章的隐含意义和深层意义。推理判断题所涉及的内容可能是文中的某一句话，也可能是某几句话，所以，推理题的答案只能是根据原文表面文字信息进一步推出的答案：即对原文某一句话或某几句话所作的同义改写或综合。推理判断题的题干中通常含有infer，suggest，imply，conclude， indicate等标志性词语。这种题型主要包括细节判断题、态度观点推断题、写作意图推断题、文章出处判断题和猜测想象推断题。

比如第二题，问题中虽没有infer之类的表推理的关键词，但是题干意思表明是一个推理题，题干问第二段的研究证明了什么，很明显需要了解第二段讲了什么方可得出想要的答案。第二段讲述了在这项研究中，无论是男人还是女人，父母还是没有孩子的人，他们在工作中应付压力释放出的皮质醇水平都低于在家里应付压力释放出的皮质醇水平，而且这具有显著性和持续性。也就是说在家里压力会更大，所以才会释放出较多的皮质醇。因此答案就非常明显了。此题需要具备很好的理解原文文字信息的能力，并在此基础上做出合理的推断。