Hu Yaohui, a schoolgirl in Zhejiang province, didn’t want to speak or eat for a week. She kept worrying about her scores on the exam. “I can’t stop thinking about my place in the class,” she said. “I feel stressed out.”
Hu is not the only one who faces stress. According to a recent survey conducted by Wuhan University of Hubei province, 70 percent of the 2,000 students who are going to take the college and high school entrance exams feel under pressure (壓力).
Stress is a normal physical response (反應) to things that make people feel worried or break their balance of life in some way.
Stress isn’t always bad. Sometimes, people’s stress is important during emergency situations, such as when a driver has to stop his car to avoid an accident. Sometimes, stress can help people do their best — like while getting ready before a big competition or exam.
However, too much or long-term stress gives people a stress overload (負荷過多). People with stress overloads may have problems remembering or concentrating on things. They are quick to get angry or lose patience. They may even have other problems, such as sleeping problems, headaches and often getting colds.
The most helpful way to deal with stress overloads is to learn how to manage the stress. For example, you might manage it by getting a good night’s sleep, or by exercising every day.
Another good way to deal with stress is to ask parents or friends for help. Everyone has stress. For many people, stress is so common that it has become a way of life. Don’t be too shy to tell others that you are having a hard time. They may comfort you or give you some useful advice. Sometimes just sharing your problems with someone else can make you feel better.
小題1:Hu Yaohui felt stressed out about ________.
A.her marks on the exams |
B.which seat to take during exams |
C.not being able to sit in the front |
D.not being allowed to eat in class |
小題2:According to the survey in Paragraph 2, _______ of the 2,000 students who will take entrance exams feel stressed.
A.nearly half | B.about 1,400 |
C.almost seven hundred | D.about one seventh |
小題3:Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Stress is a kind of serious heart disease. |
B.Stress is always bad for people. |
C.Stress is always useless for an exam. |
D.Stress is greatly needed sometimes. |
小題4:This passage is mainly about “________”.
A.Many students face stress now. |
B.People’s stress is always important. |
C.How to get less stress |
D.How to get good results with the help of stress. |