Decision-making under Stress
　　A new review based on a research shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the advantages and disadvantages, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative (負(fù)面的) consequences of a decision.
　　The research suggests that stress may change the way people make choices in predictable ways.
　　“Stress affects how people learn,” says Professor Mara Mather. “People learn better about positive than negative outcomes under stress.”
　　For example, two recent studies looked at how people learned to connect images(影像) with either rewards or punishments. In one experiment, some of the participants were first stressed by having to give a speech and do difficult math problems in front of an audience; in the other, some were stressed by having to keep their hands in ice water. In both cases, the stressed participants remembered the rewarded material more accurately and the punished material less accurately than those who hadn’t gone through the stress.
　　This phenomenon is likely not surprising to anyone who has tried to resist eating cookies or smoking a cigarette while under stress –at those moments, only the pleasure associated with such activities comes to mind. But the findings further suggest that stress may bring about a double effect. Not only are rewarding experiences remembered better, but negative consequences are also easily recalled.
　　The research also found that stress appears to affect decision-making differently in men and women. While both men and women tend to focus on rewards and less on consequences under stress, their responses to risk turn out to be different.
　　Men who had been stressed by the cold-water task tended to take more risks in the experiment while women responded in the opposite way. In stressful situations in which risk-taking can pay off big, men may tend to do better, when caution weighs more, however, women will win.
　　This tendency to slow down and become more cautious when decisions are risky might also help explain why women are less likely to become addicted than men: they may more often avoid making the risky choices that eventually harden into addiction.
【小題1】We can learn from the passage that people under pressure tend to ______.

C
Sport not only is physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism (批評(píng)) from coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive (過度的）amount of anxiety or stress for young athletes. Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological, and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.
　　The early years of development are critical years for learning about oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to work together with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parent's and coaches’ criticisms to heart and find a flaw（缺陷）in themselves.
　　Coaches and parents, should also be careful that youth sport participation doesn't become the work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of learning the sport and other life lessons. In today’s youth sport setting(環(huán)境), young athletes may be worrying more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game, many parents and coaches direct their attention on the outcome（=result）and find fault with young people’s performances. Research indicates that positive reinforcement motivates (積極強(qiáng)化激勵(lì)) and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again criticism can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.
74. An effective way to prevent the burnout of young athletes is________.
　　A. to reduce their mental stress　                B. to increase their sense of stress
　　C. to make sports less competitive   　           D. to make sports more challenging
75. According to the passage, sport is positive for young people in that________.
　　A. it can create high levels of stress
　　B. it enables them to find flaws in themselves
　　C. it can provide them with valuable experiences
　　D. it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves
76. According to the passage parents and coaches should________.
　　A. pay more attention to letting children enjoy sports
　　B. help children to win every game
　　C. train children to deaf with stress
　　D. enable children to understand the positive aspect of sports
77.The author’s purpose in writing the passage is to________.
　　A. teach young athletes how to avoid burnout
　　B. persuade young children not to worry about criticism
　　C. stress the importance of positive reinforcement to children
　　D. discuss the skill of mixing criticism with encouragement

Decision-making under Stress

　　A new review based on a research shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the advantages and disadvantages, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative (負(fù)面的) consequences of a decision.

　　The research suggests that stress may change the way people make choices in predictable ways.

　　“Stress affects how people learn,” says Professor Mara Mather. “People learn better about positive than negative outcomes under stress.”

　　For example, two recent studies looked at how people learned to connect images(影像) with either rewards or punishments. In one experiment, some of the participants were first stressed by having to give a speech and do difficult math problems in front of an audience; in the other, some were stressed by having to keep their hands in ice water. In both cases, the stressed participants remembered the rewarded material more accurately and the punished material less accurately than those who hadn’t gone through the stress.

　　This phenomenon is likely not surprising to anyone who has tried to resist eating cookies or smoking a cigarette while under stress –at those moments, only the pleasure associated with such activities comes to mind. But the findings further suggest that stress may bring about a double effect. Not only are rewarding experiences remembered better, but negative consequences are also easily recalled.

　　The research also found that stress appears to affect decision-making differently in men and women. While both men and women tend to focus on rewards and less on consequences under stress, their responses to risk turn out to be different.

　　Men who had been stressed by the cold-water task tended to take more risks in the experiment while women responded in the opposite way. In stressful situations in which risk-taking can pay off big, men may tend to do better, when caution weighs more, however, women will win.

　　This tendency to slow down and become more cautious when decisions are risky might also help explain why women are less likely to become addicted than men: they may more often avoid making the risky choices that eventually harden into addiction.

1.We can learn from the passage that people under pressure tend to ______.

A．keep rewards better in their memory

B．recall consequences more effortlessly

C．make risky decisions more frequently

D．learn a subject more effectively

2.According to the research, stress affects people most probably in their ______.

A．ways of making choices                   B．preference for pleasure

C．tolerance of punishments                 D．responses to suggestions

3.The research has proved that in a stressful situation, ______.

A．women find it easier to fall into certain habits

B．men have a greater tendency to slow down

C．women focus more on outcomes

D．men are more likely to take risks

One morning a few years ago，Harvard President Neil Rudenstine overslept. For this busy man，it was a sort of alarm: after years of non-stop hard work，he might wear himself out and die an early death.

Only after a week's leave—during which he read novels, listened to music and walked with his wife on a beach—was Rudenstine able to return to work.

In our modern life, we have lost the rhythm between action and rest. Surprisingly, within this world there is a universal but silly saying:“I am so busy.”

We say this to one another as if our tireless efforts were a talent by nature and an ability to successfully deal with stress. The busier we are, the more important we seem to ourselves and, we imagine, to others. To be unavailable to our friends and family, and to be unable to find time to relax—this has become the model of a successful life.

Because we do not rest, we lose our way. We miss the guide telling us where to go, the food providing us with strength, the quiet giving us wisdom.

How have we allowed this to happen? I believe it is this: we have forgotten the Sabbath, the day of the week—for followers of some religions—for rest and praying. It is a day when we are not supposed to work, a time when we devote ourselves to enjoying and celebrating what is beautiful. It is a good time to bless our children and loved ones, give thanks, share meals，walk and sleep. It is a time for us to take a rest, to put our work aside, trusting that there are larger forces at work taking care of the world.

Rest is a spiritual and biological need；however，in our strong ambition to be successful and care for our many responsibilities，we may feel terribly guilty when we take time to rest. The Sabbath gives us permission to stop work. In fact, “Remember the Sabbath ”is more than simply permission to rest；it is a rule to obey and a principle to follow.

50. The “alarm” in the first paragraph refers to “______”.

　　A. a signal of stress                                   B. a warning of danger

　　C. a sign of age                                       D. a spread of disease

51. According to Paragraph 4,a successful person is one who is believed to ____.

　　A. be able to work without stress　　            B. be more talented than other people

　　C. be more important than anyone else　　 D. be busy working without time to rest

52. Some people feel guilty when taking time to rest because they ____.

　　A. think that taking a rest means lacking ambitions

　　B. fail to realize that rest is an essential part of life

　　C. fail to realize that religions force them to rest

　　D. think that taking a rest means being lazy

53. What is the main idea of this passage?

　　A. We should balance work with rest.

　　B. The Sabbath givers us permission to rest.

　　C. It is silly for anyone to say “I am so busy.”

　　D. We should be available to our family and friends.

One morning a few years ago，Harvard President Neil Rudenstine overslept. For this busy man，it was a sort of alarm: after years of non-stop hard work，he might wear himself out and die an early death.
Only after a week's leave—during which he read novels, listened to music and walked with his wife on a beach—was Rudenstine able to return to work.
In our modern life, we have lost the rhythm between action and rest. Surprisingly, within this world there is a universal but silly saying:“I am so busy.”
We say this to one another as if our tireless efforts were a talent by nature and an ability to successfully deal with stress. The busier we are, the more important we seem to ourselves and, we imagine, to others. To be unavailable to our friends and family, and to be unable to find time to relax—this has become the model of a successful life.
Because we do not rest, we lose our way. We miss the guide telling us where to go, the food providing us with strength, the quiet giving us wisdom.
How have we allowed this to happen? I believe it is this: we have forgotten the Sabbath, the day of the week—for followers of some religions—for rest and praying. It is a day when we are not supposed to work, a time when we devote ourselves to enjoying and celebrating what is beautiful. It is a good time to bless our children and loved ones, give thanks, share meals，walk and sleep. It is a time for us to take a rest, to put our work aside, trusting that there are larger forces at work taking care of the world.
Rest is a spiritual and biological need；however，in our strong ambition to be successful and care for our many responsibilities，we may feel terribly guilty when we take time to rest. The Sabbath gives us permission to stop work. In fact, “Remember the Sabbath ”is more than simply permission to rest；it is a rule to obey and a principle to follow.
50. The “alarm” in the first paragraph refers to “______”.
　　A. a signal of stress                                  B. a warning of danger
　　C. a sign of age                                      D. a spread of disease
51. According to Paragraph 4,a successful person is one who is believed to ____.
　　A. be able to work without stress　　            B. be more talented than other people
　　C. be more important than anyone else　　 D. be busy working without time to rest
52. Some people feel guilty when taking time to rest because they ____.
　　A. think that taking a rest means lacking ambitions
　　B. fail to realize that rest is an essential part of life
　　C. fail to realize that religions force them to rest
　　D. think that taking a rest means being lazy
53. What is the main idea of this passage?
　　A. We should balance work with rest.
　　B. The Sabbath givers us permission to rest.
　　C. It is silly for anyone to say “I am so busy.”
　　D. We should be available to our family and friends.