If something that you’re doing doesn’t challenge you, then it doesn’t change you. We all need some normal stress in our lives, after all.1. So challenge the following limits:
1. Figure out what you’re scared of and do it continuously.
If you’re a salesman, and you’re scared of talking to people personally or over the phone now, instead of being scared and thinking you’ll fail, spend at least five minutes a day to pick up the phone and make a call.2. But don’t stop on the first try! Eventually, you can look at fear in the eye and say, “Go on. I’m not scared!”
2. Take a class for a hobby you’ve been wanting to develop
Make sure this hobby is not linked to your career; you have to relax and relieve your stress while performing this.3.Apart from helping you challenge yourself, taking a class for your hobby may also give you extra income.
3. Set aside at least nine minutes a day for physical exercise.
4.A simple 9-minute run around your neighborhood can do wonders for yourself. Exercise can not only help you maintain your regular weight, but also make you feel better about yourself.
4. Travel and allow yourself to be interested in new people.
Don’t just limit yourself to your fellow travelers—try to connect with the service staff. You never know what kind of people they’re going to be. Get out of your house or go online right now to book your class.5.
A.You should do it continuously.
B.Someone may hang up on you.
C.You don’t need to go to the gym.
D.Running in the gym may be a better choice.
E.Start to travel now and learn to challenge yourself.
F.Some examples might be cooking, sewing, painting and so on.
G.You can never see any improvement if you stick to your comfort zone.
1.G
2.B
3.F
4.C
5.E
【分析】
这是一篇说明文,介绍了如何走出自己的舒适区、挑战自己的几点建议。
1.由“We all need some normal stress in our lives, after all. ____1____ So challenge the following limits”可知,毕竟,我们的生活中需要一些压力,所以挑战以下的极限。所以小题1在本句中要起到承上启下的作用。故G选项“如果你坚持呆在自己的舒适区,你永远看不到任何进步”切题。故选G项。
2.由“But don’t stop on the first try!”可知,但不要打一次就停下来。所以小题2与后一句为转折关系。故B项“有人可能会挂断你的电话“切题。故选B项。
3.由“Make sure this hobby is not linked to your career; you have to relax and relieve your stress while performing this.”可知,确保这个爱好与你的职业无关,做它的时候你必须感到放松和减轻压力。所以小题3要举例说明是哪些爱好。故F选项“例如烹饪、缝纫、绘画等等”切题。故选F项。
4.由“A simple 9-minute run around your neighborhood can do wonders for yourself.”可知,在社区附近跑9分钟就可以为你自己创造奇迹。所以小题4与后一句为并列关系,来说明运动的地点和和时间,进而说明标题。故C项“你不需要去健身房”切题。故选C项。
5.由“Travel and allow yourself to be interested in new people.”可知,旅行并且敞开心胸去结识新朋友,此处讲的是关于旅行方面的内容,所以小题5要总结性地说明现在就开始旅行,学会挑战自己。故E项“现在就开始旅行,学会挑战自己”切题。故选E项。
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意:每个空格只填1个单词。
Feeling extreme loneliness can increase an older person’s risk of premature (过早的)death by 14 percent, according to research by John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.
Cacioppo and his colleagues’ work shows that the impact of loneliness on premature death is nearly as strong as the impact of disadvantaged socioeconomic status, which they found increases the chances of dying early by 19 percent. A 2010 meta﹣analysis showed that loneliness has twice as much impact on early death as obesity does, he said.
The researchers looked at dramatic differences in the rate of decline in physical and mental health as people aged. Cacioppo and his colleagues have examined the role of satisfying relationships on older people to develop their resilience ([rɪˈzɪliəns] 快速恢复的能力;适应力), the ability to feel better quickly after something unpleasant, and grow from stresses in life.
The consequences for health are dramatic, as feeling isolated or separated from others can disturb sleep, elevate blood pressure, increase morning rises in the stress hormone cortisol ([‘kɔ:tɪsɒl] 皮质醇), change the gene expression in immune cells, increase depression and lower overall subjective well﹣being, Cacioppo pointed out in a talk, “ Rewarding Social Connections Promote Successful Aging.”
Cacioppo, one of the nation’s leading experts on loneliness, said older people can avoid the consequences of loneliness by staying in touch with former co﹣workers, taking part in family traditions, and sharing good times with family and friends ﹣ all of which give older adults a chance to connect with others about whom they care and who care about them.
”Retiring to Florida to live in a warmer climate among strangers isn’t necessarily a good idea if it means you are disconnected from the people who mean much to you,” said Cacioppo. Population changes make understanding the role of loneliness and health all the more important,he explained. “People have to think about how to protect themselves from depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death. “
Although some people are happy to be alone, most people develop from social situations in which they provide mutual support and establish a strong bond. Evolution encourages people to work together to survive and accordingly most people enjoy companionship compared to be alone.
It is not solitude (独处)or physical isolation itself, but rather the subjective sense of isolation that Cacioppo’s work shows to be so destructive. Older people living alone are not necessarily lonely if they remain actively engaged in social life and enjoy the company of those around them. Some aspects of aging, such as blindness and loss of hearing, however, place people at special risk of becoming isolated and lonely, he said.
Passage outline | Supporting details |
The main idea | Chances are that older people will die early if they feel extremely 51.. |
52. with loneliness | • Like disadvantaged socioeconomic status and obesity, loneliness can 53. old men’s premature death. • When 54. from others, one will find physical health impacted and tend to feel depressive and unhappy. |
Suggestions | • Keep in touch with others and take part in 55. activities. • Choosing to live in a pleasant climate don’t necessarily make sense if the elder are disconnected from people who are 56. to them. • Think about how to57. depression, low subjective well﹣being and early death. • Work together with others to 58., to gain mutual support and establish a strong bond. |
Conclusions | • The sense of isolation, rather than solitude or physical isolation itself, isn’t 59.to elders. • Living alone doesn’t mean loneliness if older people live an 60. social life. |