The notion that all stress makes you sick also ignores a lot of what we know about people. Itassumes we’re all vulnerable (脆弱的) and passive in the face of adversity (逆境). But whatabout human initiative and creativity? Many come through periods of stress with morephysical and mental vigor than they had before.We also know that a long time without changeor challenge can lead to boredom, and physical and metal strain.

　　練習題：

　　Choose correct answers to the question:

　　1. The result of Holmes-Rahe’s medical research tells us ________.

　　A. the way you handle major events may cause stress

　　B. what should be done to avoid stress

　　C. what kind of event would cause stress

　　D. how to cope with sudden changes in life

　　22. The studies on stress in the early 1970’s led to ________.

　　A. widespread concern over its harmful effects

　　B. great panic over the mental disorder it could cause

　　C. an intensive research into stress-related illnesses

　　D. popular avoidance of stressful jobs

　　23. The score of the Holmes-Rahe test shows ________.

　　A. how much pressure you are under

　　B. how positive events can change your life

　　C. how stressful a major event can be

　　D. how you can deal with life-changing events

　　24. Why is “such simplistic advice” (Line 1, Para. 3) impossible to follow?

　　A. No one can stay on the same job for long.

　　B. No prescription is effective in relieving stress.

　　C. People have to get married someday.

　　D. You could be missing opportunities as well.

　　25. According to the passage people who have experienced ups and downs maybecome ____.

　　A. nervous when faced with difficulties

　　B. physically and mentally strained

　　C. more capable of coping with adversity

　　D. indifferent toward what happens to them

　　1.[C] 事實細節題。根據文章的第1句話可知，這兩位科學家對造成人們壓力的事件列了一個清單,故C與此相符,為正確答案。

　　2.[A] 事實細節題。根據文章第2段第2句“…millions of Americans... worried over the reports.”可見此研究報告引起了 widespread concern,故選A。

　　3.[A] 事實細節題。根據第1段第4句中的does not reflect..., it only shows...可知本題答案應為破折號后的內容，其中how much指的是how much stress,故可知A為正確答案。

　　4.[D] 推理判斷題。這里的建議是指第2段末尾提出的“避免帶來壓力的事”。根據第3段第3句“而且，警告人們遠離壓力，這個處方不僅使人避免麻煩，同時也使人放棄了機會”,故選D。

　　5.[C] 推理判斷題。根據文章倒數第2句“很多人經歷一段時間的壓力后，無論是身體還是精神都比原來更有活力”，故選C。

　　It is not often realized that women held a high place in southern European societies in the 10thand 11th centuries. As a wife, the woman was protected by the setting up of a dowry (彩禮).Admittedly, the purposeof this was to protect her against the risk of desertion, but in realityits function in the social and family life of the time was much more important. The dowry wasthe wife’s right to receive a tenth of all her husband’s property. The wife had the right to withhold consent, in all transactions the husband wouldmake, and more than just a right; thedocuments show that she enjoyed a real power of decision, equal to that of her husband. Inno case do the documents indicate any degree of difference in the legal status of husbandand wife.

　　The wife shared in the management of her husband’s personal property, but the opposite wasnot always true. Women seemed perfectly prepared to defend their own inheritance againsthusbands who tried to exceed their rights, and on occasion they showed a fine fighting spirit.A case in point is that of Maria Vivas. Having agreed with her husband Miro to sell a field shehad inherited, for the needs of the household, she insisted on compensation. None beingoffered, she succeeded in dragging her husband to the scribe(法學家) to have a contract dulydrawn up assigning her a piece of land from Miro’s personal inheritance. The unfortunatehusband was obliged to agree, as the contract says, “for the sake of peace.” Either throughthe dowry or through being hot-tempered, the wife knew how to win herself, with the contextof the family, a powerful economic position.ric illnesses including depression often do notmanifest themselves until the late teens or early 20s.

　　練習題：

　　Choose correct answers to the question:

　　1. A decimum was ________.

　　A. the wife's inheritance from her father

　　B. a gift of money to the new husband

　　C.a protection of the wife’s right

　　D. a written contract

　　2. In the 10th and11th centuries in southern European, women’s social position was______.

　　A. higher than men’s

　　B. as high as men’s

　　C. lower than men’s

　　D.never recognized

　　3.The purpose of mentioning the case of Maria Vivas_____

　　A.to show women had the same rights as,if not more than,their husband

　　B.to prove hot-tempered woman held a powerful economic position

　　C.to tell the readers the real situations in some countries

　　D.to show the fight spirits of woman

　　4.Could a husband sell his wife's inheritance?

　　A. Yes, if she agreed.

　　B. No, under no circumstances.

　　C. Yes, whenever he wished to.

　　D, Yes, if his father-in-law agreed.

　　5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an effect of the dowry system?

　　A. The husband had to share the power of decision in marriage.

　　B. The wife could manage her husband’s personal property.

　　C. The wife gained a powerful economic position.

　　D. The wife would not be deserted by her husband.

　　1.[C] 詞義推斷題。第1段第2句指出了 decimum的作用，即與“彩禮”相當，作為保護婦女的工具。第4句以 “The decimum was...”的句式指出其定義，綜合這兩句，可斷定選項C正確。

　　2.[B] 推理判斷題。文章第1句就表明婦女當時的地位很高，第1段最后兩句表明婦女與其丈夫的地位并無不同，是平等的，因此可以推斷本題答案應為B。

　　3.[A] 推理判斷題。本題考查例子與觀點的關系。該例子是為了證明其前面，即第2段開頭兩句的觀點,選項A是對這兩句話的總結。

　　4.[A]推理判斷題。本題考査從例子的推斷。根據Maria Vivas的例子可確定答案，而且從第2段第4句中的Having agreed with her husband可推斷售賣妻子繼承的財產必須先征得妻子的同意，因此選項A正確。

　　5.[D] 事實細節題。可用排除法找出答案。第1段倒數第2句可證明選項A正確，第2段首句可證明選項B正確，第2段末句可表明選項C正確，只有選項D太絕對。