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TEXT D

For parents who send their kids off to college saying, “These will be the best years of your life,” it would be very appropriate to add, “If you can handle the stress of college life” Freshmen are showing up already stressed out, according to the latest research study that reported students‟ emotional health levels at their lowest since the survey started in 1985.While in school, more students are working part-time and near-full-time jobs. At graduation, only 29 percent of seniors have jobs lined up.

Pressure to excel often creates stress, and many students are not learning how to effectively handle this stress. Let me show five facts that I believe every college student should know about stress.

First, stress can make smart people do stupid things. Stress causes what brain researchers call “cortical inhibition”In simple terms, stress inhibits a part of the brain responsible for decision-making and reaction time and can adversely affect other mental abilities as well.

Second, the human body doesn‟t discriminate between a big stressful event and a little one. Any stressful experience will create about 1,400 biochemical events in your body. If any amount of stress is left unchecked, many things can occur within the body, including premature aging, impaired cognitive function and energy drain.

Third, stress can become your new pattern. When you regularly experience negative feelings and high amounts of stress, your brain recognizes this as your normal state. This then becomes the new norm, or baseline for your emotional state.

Fourth, stress can be controlled. Countless studies demonstrate that people can restructure their emotional state using emotion-refocusing techniques. These techniques help you recognize how you are feeling and shift to a more positive emotional, mental and physical state.

One technique involves slowing your thoughts and focusing on your heartbeat, breathing slowly and deeply, and focusing on the positive feeling that you receive.

Finally, stress can be lessened by loving what you study. Barbara Frederickson, a leading international authority on the importance of positive emotions, says humans are genetically programmed to seek positive emotions such as love and joy. It's suggested to choose a major or career path you love and enjoy. Otherwise, you could end up fighting against your own biology.

单选题

The author cites the latest research study in order to show that ________.

【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】

根据文章第一段, 最新的研究表明, 新生已经出现了压力, 越来越多的学生在上学期间选择兼职或近乎全职的工作, 但毕业生的就业率依然只有 29%。 说明学生的压力从开出已知持续到了毕业。 故选 C。

单选题

According to the passage, stress might cause all the following negative effects EXCEPT ________.

【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】

文章第三段至第六段阐述了压力对人的负面影响, 并提出了对应技巧。 第六段最后一句总结道, 运用技巧来将“emotional, mental and physical state” 变得积极, 说明压力会使人在情感上、 心理上和生理上变得消极。 选项 A 并未提及。 故选 A。

单选题

In the author‟s opinion, stress can be controlled by ________.

【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】

根据文章倒数第二段, 缓解压力的技巧是“slowing your thoughts and focusing on your heartbeat … on the positive feeling that you receive”, 放慢思路, 倾听自己的心跳, 缓慢深呼吸, 然后专注于你所获得的积极情绪。 但要控制压力, 首先要清楚自己的状态是否是出于压力下, 然后再进行调节控制。 故选 B。

单选题

According to the context, what does “your own biology” mean in the last paragraph?

【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】

根据文章最后一段, “stress can be lessened by loving what you study”, 学生要热爱学习, 这样才能减轻压力。因为人类生来就会寻找积极的情绪, 如果没有选择自己喜欢的专业和职业, 就会一直充满压力。 由此可知,“your own biology” 指的是你的天性与喜好。 故选 D。

单选题

Which of the following is the best as the title of the passage?

【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】

通读文章, 作者讲述了压力的形成以及控制压力和减缓压力的方法技巧。选项 D 最贴近文章主题。故选 D。