Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stress
Finding work-life balance in today’s frenetically paced world is no simple task.
Spend more time at work than at home, and you miss out on a rewarding personal life. Then again, when you face challenges in your personal life, such as caring for an aging parent or coping with marital problems, concentrating on your job can be difficult.
Whether the problem is too much focus on work or too little, when your work life and your personal life feel out of balance, stress — along with its harmful effects — is the result.
The good news is that you can take control of your work-life balance — and give yourself the time to do the things that are most important to you. The first step is to recognize how the world of work has changed. Then you can evaluate your relationship to work and apply some specific strategies for striking a healthier balance.
How work invades your personal life
There was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight- to nine-hour days. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Here’s why:
●Global economy. As more skilled workers enter the global labor market and companies outsource or move more jobs to reduce labor costs, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs.
●International business. Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in an international organization, you might be on call around the clock for troubleshooting or consulting.
●Advanced communication technology. Many people now have the ability to work anywhere — from their home, from their car and even on vacation. And some managers expect this.
●Longer hours. Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than they’re scheduled. Often, overtime is mandatory. If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations.
●Changes in family roles. Today’s married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community.
Married to your work
It can be tempting to rack up the hours at work — especially if you’re trying to earn a promotion or some extra money for a child’s education or a dream vacation. For others, working more hours feels necessary in order to manage the workload.
But if you’re spending most of your time at work, your home life will likely pay the price. Consider the pros and cons of working extra hours on your work-life balance:
●Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when you’re tired. This means you’re less productive and may make more mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury or rework and negatively impact your professional reputation.
●Family. You may miss out on important events, such as your child’s first bike ride, your father’s 60th birthday or your high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.
●Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if you’re spending time at the office instead of with them, you’ll find it difficult to nurture those friendships.
●Expectations. If you regularly work extra hours, you may be given more responsibility. This could create a never-ending and increasing cycle, causing more concerns and challenges.
Sometimes working overtime is important. If you work for a company that requires mandatory overtime, you won’t be able to avoid it, but you can learn to manage it. Most importantly, say no when you’re too tired, when it’s affecting your health or when you have crucial family obligations.
Striking the best work-life balance
For most people, juggling the demands of career and personal life is an ongoing challenge. With so many demands on your time — from overtime to family obligations — it can feel difficult to strike this balance. The goal is to make time for the activities that are the most important to you.
Here are some ideas to help you find the balance that’s best for you:
●Learn to say no. Whether it’s a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child’s teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it’s OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you’ll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.
●Leave work at work. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.
●Manage your time. Organize household tasks efficiently. Do one or two loads of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic. If your employer offers a course in time management, sign up for it.
●Get enough sleep. There’s nothing as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you’re sleep-deprived. Not only is your productivity affected, but also you can make costly mistakes. You may then have to work even more hours to make up for these mistakes.
●Communicate clearly. Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. Take notes if necessary.
●Nurture yourself. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music.
●Set aside one night each week for recreation. Take the phone off the hook, power down the computer and turn off the TV. Discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, such as playing golf, fishing or canoeing. Making time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate you.
Remember, striking a work-life balance isn’t a one-shot deal. Creating balance in your life is a continuous process. Balance doesn’t mean doing everything. Examine your priorities and set boundaries. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore harmony to your lifestyle.
【小題1】What will happen if you’re spending most of your time at work?

A．You might lose all your friends.

B．You will lose both health and wealth.

C．You perhaps be given more responsibility.

D．You may be misunderstood by your loved ones.

【小題2】According to the passage, you’d better say no to mandatory overtime when ___________.

A．you get bored with the work

B．you are not interested in the work

C．you can’t get additional allowance

D．you have crucial family obligations

【小題3】What does the underlined sentence mean?

A．To do things people ask you to do can bring you a lot of joy.

B．You should do the things people ask you to do without feeling guilty.

C．You shouldn’t do the things people ask you to do if you don’t want to.

D．To do things for yourself is more meaningful than to do things for others.

【小題4】What will not happen if you don’t get enough sleep?

A．You can make costly mistakes.

B．You will have low productivity.

C．You will feel stressed while working.

D．You will have no sense of exhaustion.

【小題5】What does the real balance mean according to the author?

A．Being firm that working overtime will strike a work-life balance.

B．Examining priorities and deciding what is the most important to you.

C．Trying to carrying out everything you want to do whether you can do it or not.

D．Being cautious when saying no to somebody in a bid to maintain fine relationships.

You are watching a film in which two men are having a fight. They hit one another hard. At the start they only fight with their fists（拳頭）. But soon they begin hitting one another over the heads with chairs. And so it goes on until one of the men crashes through a window and falls thirty feet to the ground below. He is dead!
Of course he isn’t really dead. With any luck he isn’t even hurt. Why? Because the men who fall out of high windows or jump from fast moving trains, who crash cars of even catch fire, are professionals（專業(yè)人士）. They do this for a living. These men are called stuntmen（替身演員）. That is to say, they perform tricks.
There are two sides to their work.They actually do most of the things you see on the screen. For example, they fall from a high building. However, they do not fall on to hard ground but on to empty cardboard boxes covered with a mattress(床墊). Again, when they hit one another with chairs, the chairs are made of soft wood and when they crash through windows, the glass is made of sugar!
But although their work depends on trick of this sort, it also requires a high degree of skill and training. Often a stuntman’s success depends on careful timing（時間測量）. For example, when he is "blown up" in a battle scene, he has to jump out of the way of the explosion（爆炸）just at the right moment.
Naturally stuntmen are well paid for their work, but they lead dangerous lives. They often get seriously injured, and sometimes killed. A Norwegian stuntman, for example, skied over the edge of a cliff（懸崖）a thousand feet high. His parachute failed to open, and he was killed.
In spite of all the risks, this is no longer a profession for men only. Men no longer dress up as women when actresses have to perform some dangerous action. For nowadays there are stunt-girls too!
【小題1】Stuntmen are those who        

A．often dress up as actors

B．prefer to lead dangerous lives

C．often perform seemingly dangerous actions

D．often fight each other for their lives

【小題2】Stuntmen earn their living by        

A．playing their dirty tricks	B．selling their special skills
C．jumping out of high windows	D．jumping from fast moving trains

【小題3】Usually when a stuntman falls from a high building        

A．he needs little protection

B．he will be covered with a mattress

C．his life is endangered

D．his safety is generally all right

【小題4】What can be inferred from the author’s example of the Norwegian stuntman?

A．Sometimes an accident can occur to a stuntman.

B．The percentage of serious accidents is high

C．Parachutes must be of good quality.

D．The cliff is too high.

Accidents happen almost every day. Some accidents are not serious and some are. We read about such accidents nearly every day in the newspapers. It is wrong for people to think that accidents take place only on the roads or highways, or even at work places. Home accidents are just as common. Because very few home accidents are reported, people come to think that there are few accidents which happen in homes.
There have been many cases where people fall to their deaths from high rise flats. Children often fall over while coming down the stairs. Old people may slip (滑跤) on wet floors if they are not careful.
Nowadays there are a lot of modern electrical appliances (電器) such as rice cookers which make life easy for the modern house wives. These appliances can kill if they are not used in the proper way. Gas stoves (煤氣灶) used for cooking are also dangerous if they are not properly used. They may cause burns or, in more serious cases, even fires.
But all such accidents can be stopped if we are careful and follow simple rules of safety. For example, it is unwise for people to try repairing their own electrical appliances if they do not know how to. It is safer to get them repaired by an electrician (電工).
【小題1】Accidents take place ____.

A．mostly in homes

B．mostly on roads and highways

C．mostly in factories

D．a(chǎn)lmost everywhere

【小題2】Which of the following accidents may NOT happen in homes?

A．People may fall to death from high buildings.

B．People may be knocked down by cars on the roads.

C．Gas stoves may cause burns or even fires.

D．People may be killed by an electrical appliance.

【小題3】People are advised____ .

A．to avoid using electrical appliances

B．to repair their own electrical appliances

C．not to repair their own electrical appliances

D．not to get their electrical appliances fixed

Below is a discussion on a website.

http://www.TalkingPoints.com/
Stuck on a desert island?
Started on 23rd April by Steve                   Posts 1 – 7 of 42
Post 1 Steve USA	Hi, everyone. What would you miss most and least if you were stuck on a desert island? For me, it would be the changing seasons in New England. I guess this will sound stupid but I’d probably miss the rain, too. I wouldn’t miss getting up at six every day to go to work, though! What about you?
Post 2 Tomas Germany	Good question. Steve, I think I’d miss different types of bread, and shopping at the supermarket. I’d miss the food most. What would I miss least? My mobile phone. I’d like to be completely quiet, at least for a little while.
Post 3 Paola Italy	I would miss the company of people because I know I’d like to have someone to share experiences with. I’d go mad on my own. And I surely wouldn’t miss junk mails(垃圾郵件). I hate coming home every evening with a pile of junk mails in my post box.
Post 4 Miko Japan	Hi, I would miss Manga cartoon, the internet and Japanese food, like sushi. I’d also miss TV shows and shopping for clothes… In fact, I’d miss everything.
Post 5 Roger UK	I would miss my daily newspaper and listening to the news on TV and radio. I’d feel very cut off if I didn’t know what was happening in the world. What I’d miss least would be traffic jams in the city, particularly my journey to work.
Post 6 Jayne	Why hasn’t anyone mentioned their family? I’d be lost without my husband and two kids. They’re the most important for me. And I can’t get started in the morning without a cup of black coffee. I wouldn’t miss doing the housework!
Post 7 Jaime Mexico	It would have to be music. I couldn’t live without my music. I wouldn’t miss going to school at all or doing homework!

【小題1】Who would miss his or her family most?

A．Jaime

B．Jayne

C．Miko

D．Paola.

【小題2】Which of the following people would feel most uncomfortable without the news media?

A．Steve.

B．Jaime

C．Roger.

D．Tomas

【小題3】 How many of them mentioned that they would miss food or drink?

A．One

B．Two

C．Three

D．Four

If your boss asks you to work in Moscow this year, he’d better offer you more money to do so — or even double that depending on where you live now. That’s because Moscow has just been found to be the world’s most expensive city for the second year in a row by Mercer Human Resources Consulting.
Using the cost of living in New York as a base, Mercer determined Moscow is 34.4 percent more expensive including the cost of housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment(娛樂).
A two-bedroom flat in Moscow now costs $4,000 a month; a CD $24.83, and an international newspaper $6.30, according to Mercer. By comparison, a fast food meal with a hamburger (漢堡包) is a steal at $4.80.
London takes the No.2 place, up from No.5 a year ago, thanks to higher cost of housing and a stronger British pound relative to the dollar. Mercer estimates (估算) London is 26 percent more expensive than New York these days. Following London closely are Seoul and Tokyo, both of which are 22 percent more expensive than New York, while No.5 Hong Kong is 19 percent more costly.
Among North American cities, New York and Los Angeles are the most expensive and are the only two listed in the top 50 of the world’s most expensive cities. But both have fallen since last year’s study — New York came in 15th, down from 10th place, while Los Angeles fell to 42nd from 29th place a year ago. San Francisco came in a distant third at No. 54, down 20 places from a year earlier.
Toronto, meanwhile, is Canada’s most expensive city but fell 35 places to take 82nd place worldwide. In Australia, Sydney is the priciest place to live in and No. 21 worldwide.
【小題1】 What do the underlined words “a steal” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．a(chǎn)n act of stealing	B．something very cheap
C．something delicious	D．a(chǎn)n act of buying

【小題2】London has become the second most expensive city because of ______.

A．the high cost of clothing

B．its expensive transportation

C．the stronger pound against the dollar

D．the high prices of fast food meals

【小題3】 Which city is the third most expensive on the list?

A．Sydney.

B．Hong Kong.

C．Moscow.

D．Tokyo.

【小題4】Which city has dropped most on the list in North America?

A．Toronto.

B．Los Angeles.

C．San Francisco.

D．New York.

Astronauts on shorter shuttle missions (使命) often work very long days.  Tasks are scheduled (安排) so tightly that break times are often used to finish the day’s work.  This type of schedule is far too demanding for long missions on the International Space Station (ISS).  ISS crewmembers usually live in space for at least a quarter of a year. They work five days on and two days off to mimic the normal way they do things on Earth as much as possible. Weekends give the crew valuable time to rest and do a few hours of housework.  They can communicate with family and friends by email, internet phone and through private video conferences.
While astronauts cannot go to a baseball game or a movie in orbit, there are many familiar activities that they can still enjoy. Before a mission, the family and friends of each ISS crewmember put together a collection of family photos, messages, videos and reading material for the astronauts to look at when they will be floating 370 kilometers above the Earth.  During their mission, the crew also receives care packages with CDs, books, magazines, photos and letters. And as from early 2010, the internet became available on the ISS , giving astronauts the chance to do some “web surfing（沖浪）” in their personal time. Besides relaxing with these more common entertainments, astronauts can simply enjoy the experience of living in space.
Many astronauts say that one of the most relaxing things to do in space is to look out the window and stare at the universe and the Earth’s vast land mass and oceans.
【小題1】What does the word “mimic” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A． Find

B． Copy

C．Change

D．Lose

【小題2】 Which of the following best describes the families of the astronauts on the ISS ?

A．They are caring and thoughtful.

B．They are patient and annoyed.

C．They are impatient and annoyed.

D．They are excited and curious.

【小題3】In the final paragraph, the author shows that astronauts          .

A．get more pleasure in space than on the Earth

B．find living in space a bit boring and tiring

C．regard space life as common

D．love to see the Earth from space

【小題4】The passage mainly discusses how astronauts          .

A．work for longer missions in space

B．connect with people on the Earth

C．observe the Earth from space.

D．spend their free time in space

Home to me means a sense of familiarity and nostalgia(懷舊). It's fun to come home. It looks the same. It smells the same. You'll realize what's changed is you. Home is where we can remember pain, live, and some other experiences; We parted here; My parents met here; I won three championships here.
If I close my eyes, I can still have a clear picture in mind of my first home. I walk in the door and see a brown sofa surrounding a low glass-top wooden table. To the right of the living room is my first bedroom. It's empty, but it's where my earliest memories are.
There is the dining room table where I celebrated birthdays, and where I cried on Halloween-when I didn't want to wear the skirt my mother made for me. I always liked standing on that table because it made me feel tall and strong. If I sit at this table, I can see my favorite room in the house, my parents' room. It is simple: a brown wooden dresser lines the right side of the wall next to a television and a couple of photos of my grandparents on each side. Their bed is my safe zone. I can jump on it anytime - waking up my parents if I am scared or if I have an important announcement that cannot wait until the morning.
I'm lucky because I know my first home still exists. It exists in my mind and heart, on a physical property (住宅) on West 64th street on the western edge of Los Angeles. It is proof I lived, I grew and I learned.
Sometimes when I feel lost, I lie down and shut my eyes, and I go home. I know it's where I'll find my family, my dogs, and my belongings. I purposely leave the window open at night because I know I'll be blamed by Mom. But I don't mind, because I want to hear her say my name, which reminds me I'm home.
【小題1】Why does the author call her parents' bed her "safe zone"(Paragraph 3)?

A．It is her favorite place to play.

B．Her needs can be satisfied there.

C．Her grandparents' photos are lined on each side.

D．Her parents always play together with her there.

【小題2】What can be learned from the passage?

A．The old furniture is still in the author's fist bedroom.

B．The author can still visit her first physical home in Los Angeles.

C．The author's favorite room in her first home is the dining room.

D．Many people of the author's age can still find their first physical homes.

【小題3】Sometimes when she feels lost, the author will _______.

A．Open the window at night

B．lie down in bed to have a dream

C．try to bring back a sense of home

D．go to Los Angeles to visit her mom

【小題4】What is the author's purpose of writing this passage?

A．To express how much she is attached to her home.

B．To declare how much she loves her first house.

C．To describe the state of her family.

D．To look back on her childhood.

The Gold Coast family holidays are always great fun whether you are from Australia or from abroad. There are beautiful beaches, adventure parks, nature parks and so much more.
There are so many sights to see here. It is a pity to drive in a car and you’ll miss a great part of it. Australia is home to many animals and birds that can only be seen when moving slowly and going into the areas that they live.
When you are on a bicycle, you have the advantage of being able to stop whenever you want to see an interesting animal or bird that you have never seen before. It is a quieter mode （方式） of transportation as well, so you might even be able to take a picture. When you are on the beach, you can breathe that clean air and view the beauty of the water and sand. It is a totally different experience from either simply sunbathing or passing it in a car.
There are many choices of hiring a bicycle to experience the Gold Coast attractions. There are stores that will fit a bike perfectly to your size. These bikes for both adults and children are in many styles and colors to please any taste. If you have ever wanted to try a tandem bike （雙人單車）, now is your chance, because they have those too.
A bicycle hire on Gold Coast is something that everyone should try at least once. This is a wonderful chance for anyone who likes to cycle and it is also a cheap way to travel with your family.
【小題1】You’d better not drive in a car on Gold Coast because ________.

A．you will break the traffic rules

B．you will cause much noise

C．you can’t enjoy the beautiful sights well

D．you can’t drive into some parks

【小題2】The following advantages of hiring bikes are mentioned EXCEPT that ________.

A．you can take photos of animals

B．it is a cheap way of traveling

C．you can get a clearer sight of animals

D．it is a good way to do sunbathing

【小題3】What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．How to hire bikes on Gold Coast.

B．What kinds of bikes there are in stores.

C．What bikes are the most popular.

D．Who can hire bikes on Gold Coast.

【小題4】What’s the author’s attitude towards a bike hire on Gold Coast?

A．He supports it very much.

B．He thinks it’s a personal choice.

C．He doesn’t like this way of traveling.

D．He thinks it’s only good for adults.

Dear Editor,
I’m a Senior I student in a middle school. This term, my favorite teacher, Miss Mao, no longer teaches us. I want to see her, but I’m afraid that she no longer likes me and I don’t want to trouble her. I really miss her. What should I do?
Tian Yan
Dear Tian Yan,
It’s bad luck that you have lost your favorite teacher. But, if she is still in your school, nothing can stop you going to see her. When she isn’t busy, ask her if she minds having a quick chat. You can then tell her she was your favorite teacher—everyone is happy to know that they are liked!
If she has left the school, it will be more difficult to meet her. It will be hard, but remember people always come and go in their lives. We can’t rely on them to be with us all the time.
You may be sad to say goodbye to her, but we can remember and learn from her. Think of her best qualities.
You could also try looking for similar qualities in your other teachers. Study hard and give your new teacher a chance. In time, you might start to see that he or she has different qualities to learn from.
Finally, you can not completely rely on other people to get you through your studies, or even your life.
Editor
【小題1】Tian Yan ______.

A．is a troublemaker

B．likes Miss Mao very much

C．is happy these days

D．doesn’t like to tell her secret to anyone

【小題2】Which of the following does the editor advise Tuan Yan NOT to do?

A．Find a time to see Miss Mao

B．Have a short chat with Miss Mao

C．Tell Miss Mao she likes her

D．Keep quiet about the thing

【小題3】According to the passage, students can make progress in their studies _______.

A．completely by their favorite teachers

B．completely by their favorite classmates

C．mainly by their parents

D．mainly by themselves