2009年6月英语四级阅读冲刺倒计时(倒数18天)

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　　As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.

　　Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. (2) A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.

　　The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between “fight” or “flight” and in more primitive days the choices made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.

　　1. What does the author want to convey in the first paragraph?

　　A) People live in an era of change and mobility.

　　B) People should act of their own free will.

　　C) Relaxation is indispensable for sound health.

　　D) Relaxation means slowing down the pace of living.

　　2. Stress is generally believed _____.

　　A) to be dangerous to health

　　B) to give stimulation to life

　　C) to be vital to good performance

　　D) to lead to high responsibility

　　3. According to the writer, the most important qualification for a good manager is ____.

　　A) his taking control over his performance

　　B) his responding to stress

　　C) his knowing the art of relaxation

　　D)his facing up to stress