21st Century College English: Book 3

21st Century College English: Book 3 Unit 10: Text A Plain Talk About Handling Stress

Plain Talk About Handling Stress Unit 10: Text A • Lead-in Activities • Text Organization • Reading & Writing Skills • Language Points • Guided Practice • Assignment

Lead-in Activities Questions for Discussion • On a scale of one to ten, where ten is the most nervous you’ve ever felt in your life, how nervous do you feel right now? • B) On a scale of one to ten, where ten is the most exhausted you’ve ever felt in your life, how tired do you feel right now? • What are the three biggest problems that are worrying you today? Write down one-word “titles” for each of these three problems. • How do you usually behave when you’re worried or nervous about something?

Text Organization Plain Talk About Handling Stress What do we know about stress? Reacting to Stress Suggestions to ease the tension of stress The art of relaxation

Stress is a necessary part of our life. What is stress: its causes, features and definition? Text Organization What do we know about stress?

Text Organization What do we know about stress? Stress is a necessary part of our life. Stress is a necessary in our life but too much stress can harm us. We have to learn to cope with stress so that it doesn’t become overwhelming. (Para. 1) What is stress: its causes, features and definition?

Text Organization What do we know about stress? Stress is a necessary part of our life. Causes: Small things such as waiting in line, having car trouble, getting stuck in traffic, having too many things to do in a limited time. Features: Stress in unique and personal to each of us. Definition: The definition of stress according to one expert: “non-specific response of the body to a demand”. (Para. 2-4) What is stress: its causes, features and definition?

How does the body respond to stress? How do we react to stress? Text Organization Reacting to Stress

Text Organization Reacting to Stress How does the body respond to stress? Three stages of response and examples of each: 1) alarm; 2) resistance; 3) exhaustion. (Para. 5) How do we react to stress?

Text Organization Reacting to Stress How does the body respond to stress? By recognizing the early signs of stress, we can prevent or minimize its impact. (Para. 6) How do we react to stress?

Try physical exercises. • Share your stress with someone. • Know your limit and when the stress is beyond your control, accept it until you can change it. • Take good physical care of yourself. • Make time for fun and relax. • Make new friends and enjoy new things. • Prioritize and check off your tasks. • Be flexible so as to feel more comfortable. • A good cry can be a healthy way to release tension. • Create peaceful surroundings. • Avoid self-medication. Accept the advice of your doctor. • (Para. 7-18) Text Organization Suggestions to ease the tension of stress

Learn to relax and enjoy. Don’t let stress get out of hand. Make it work for you instead of against you. (Para. 19) Text Organization The art of relaxation

Reading & Writing Skills 1) Reading skill: Understanding Idiomatic Expressions It’s time for more practice on hypothesizing the meaning of idiomatic expressions. Don’t forget that with idiomatic expressions, word formation clues can be misleading, but context clues —examples, explanations, contrasts or parallel phrases—will be a big help in figuring out the meanings. 2) Writing skill: This text is an argumentation.The writer develops it by using definition and examples.

Text A:Plain Talk about • Handling Stress • Intensive Study Language Points

Intensive Study Plain Talk About Handling Stress ByLouis E. Kopolow, M.D. 1You need stress in your life! Does that surprise you? Perhaps so, but it is quite true. Without stress, life would be dull and unexciting. Stress adds flavor, challenge, and opportunity to life. Too much stress, however, can seriously affect your physical and mental well-being. A major challenge in the stress-filled world of today is to learn how to cope with stress so that it doesn’t become overwhelming.

Intensive Study 2What kinds of things can cause too much stress in our lives? We often think of major crises such as natural disasters, war, and death as main sources of stress. These are, of course, stressful events. However, according to psychologist Wayne Weiten, on a day-to-day basis, it’s the small things that cause stress: waiting in line, having car trouble, getting stuck in a traffic jam, having too many things to do in a limited time.

Intensive Study 3Interestingly, stress is unique and personal to each of us. So personal, in fact, that what may be relaxing to one person may be stressful to another. For example, if you’re an executive who likes to keep busy all the time, “taking it easy” at the beach on a beautiful day may feel extremely frustrating, non-productive, and upsetting. You may be emotionally distressed from “doing nothing”.

Intensive Study 4 Hans Selye, M.D., a recognized expert in the field, has defined stress as a “non-specific response of the body to a demand”. For the busy executive, the demand that causes stress might be to relax. For most of us, it’s a demand to act that causes stress. If we feel overwhelmed by pressure to do too much, we may not be able to function at all. In this case, the stress that can be good for us becomes distress, or bad stress. When stress becomes prolonged or particularly frustrating, it can become harmful, causing physical illness.

Intensive Study Reacting To Stress 5The body responds to stressful events by going through three stages: (1) alarm, (2) resistance and (3) exhaustion. Let’s take the example of a typical commuter in rush-hour traffic. If a car suddenly pulls out in front of him, his initial alarm reaction may include fear of an accident, anger at the driver who committed the action, and general frustration. His body may respond in the alarm stage by releasing chemicals into the bloodstream which cause his face to flush, perspiration to form, his stomach to have a sinking feeling, and his arms and legs to tighten. The next stage is resistance, in which the body repairs damage caused by the stress.

Intensive Study If the stress of driving continues with repeated close calls or traffic jams, however, his body doesn’t have time to make repairs. He may become so conditioned to expect potential problems when he drives that he tightens up at the beginning of each commuting day. The third stage, exhaustion, occurs if the stress continues over a long period of time, and the body depletes its resources for fighting stress. The result may be illness: insomnia, headaches, backaches, ulcers, high blood pressure — even heart disease.

Intensive Study 6While you can’t live completely free of stress and distress, you can prevent some distress as well as minimize its impact. By recognizing the early signs of distress and then doing something about them, you can improve the quality of your life and perhaps even live longer.

Intensive Study Helping Yourself 7When stress does occur, it’s important to recognize and deal with it. Here are some suggestions for handling stress. As you begin to understand more about how stress affects you as an individual, you’ll come up with your own ways to ease the tension. 8 Try physical activity. When you’re nervous, angry or upset, release the pressure through exercise or physical activity. Running, walking, playing tennis or working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try. Physical exercise will relieve the tension, relax you and turn the frowns into smiles. Remember, your body and your mind work together.

Intensive Study 9 Share your stress. It helps to talk to someone about your concerns and worries. Perhaps a friend, family member, teacher or counselor can help you see your problem in a different light. If you feel your problem is serious, you might seek professional help from a psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker or mental health counselor. Knowing when to ask for help may help you avoid more serious problems later. 10Know your limits. If a problem is beyond your control and can’t be changed at the moment, don’t fight the situation. Learn to accept what is — for now — until a time when you can change it.

Intensive Study 11Take care of yourself. You’re special. Get enough rest and eat well. If you’re irritable and tense from lack of sleep or if you aren’t eating correctly, you’ll have less ability to deal with stressful situations. If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping, you should ask your doctor for help. 12Make time for fun. Schedule time for both work and recreation. Play can be just as important to your well-being as work; you need a break from your daily routine to just relax and have fun.

Intensive Study 13 Be a participant. One way to keep from getting bored, sad, and lonely is to go somewhere where things are happening. Sitting alone can make you feel frustrated. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, get involved and become a participant. Offer your services in volunteer origination. Help yourself by helping other people. Get involved in the world and the people around you, and you’ll find they’ll be attracted to you. You’ll be on your way to making new friends and enjoying new activities. 14Check off your tasks. Trying to take care of everything at once seem overwhelming, and, as a result, you may not accomplish anything. Instead, make a list of what tasks you have to do, then do one at a time, check them off as they’re completed. Give priority to the most important ones and do those first.

Intensive Study 15Must you always be right? Do other people upset you —particularly when they don’t do things your way? Try cooperation instead of confrontation; it’s better than fighting and always being “right”. A little give and take on both sides will reduce the strain and make you both feel more comfortable. 16 It’s OK to cry. A good cry can be a healthy way to bring relief to your anxiety, and it might even prevent a headache or other physical consequences. Take some deep breaths; they also release tension.

Intensive Study 17 Create a quiet scene. You can’t always run away, but you can “dream the impossible dream”. A quiet country scene painted mentally (or on canvas!) can let you escape from a stressful situation. Change the scene by reading a good book or playing beautiful music to create a sense of peace. 18 Avoid self-medication. Although you can use prescription or over-the-counter medications to relieve stress temporarily, they don’t eliminate the conditions that caused the stress in the first place. Medications, in fact, may be habit-forming and can also reduce your efficiency, thus creating more stress than they take away. They should be taken only on the advice of your doctor.

Intensive Study The Art of Relaxation 19The best strategy for avoiding stress is to learn how to relax. Unfortunately many people try to relax at the same pace that they lead the rest of their lives. For a while, tune out your worries about time, productivity, and “doing right”. You’ll find satisfaction in just being, without striving. Find activities that give you pleasure and that are good for your mental and physical well-being. Forget about always winning. Focus on relaxation, enjoyment, and health. Whatever method works for you, be good to yourself. If you don’t let stress get out of hand, you can actually make it work for you instead of against you.

plain talk — a simple and direct discussion plain adj. If words, statements, etc. are plain, they are clear, honest, easy to understand, and perhaps not very polite. • Examples: • This is not the time for plain words. • He believes in plain speaking — he always says clearly and honestly what he thinks without trying to be polite.

stress pressure stress vs. pressure — the tension and anxiety you feel because of difficulties in your life. —The application of continuous force by one body on another that it is touching; compression • Practice: • Financial hardship places severe __________on married couples. • The strong __________ of public opinion drove him from office. stress pressure More to learn

stress pressure stress vs. pressure • Practice: • We came under increasing ___________ from government officials. • People under a lot of ___________ may experience headaches, minor plains and sleeping difficulties. pressure stress

well-beingn. — the state of being healthy, happy, or prosperous • Example: • Seeing her grandchildren gave her a sense of well-being.

A major challenge in the stress-filled world of today is to learn how to cope with stress so that it doesn’t become overwhelming. overwhelming adj. — too great to resist or overcome; very great overwhelm vt. — 1. to make powerless by using force or by introducing too much or too many of something 2. to cause to feel helpless because of strong emotion Paraphrase: ? One big difficulty is to learn how to handle stress so that you don’t feel helpless when you are under stress. • Examples: • an overwhelming urge to smoke • an overwhelming victory • the overwhelming majority of people • Examples: • The number of refugees overwhelmed the relief agencies in the area. • He was overwhelmed by feelings of remorse (懊悔) for what he had done.

getting stuck in a traffic jam Paraphrase: ? kept waiting in a long line of traffic

Interestingly, stress is unique and personal to each of us. Adverbs modifying whole sentences • Examples: • Briefly, there is nothing more I can do about it. • Personally, I don’t approve of her. • Seriously, do you intend to resign? • Really, the public does not have much choice in the matter. • Understandably, we were all extremely annoyed when we received the letter. 1. conveys the speaker’s comment on the form of what he is saying: frankly, briefly, honestly, generally, personally, roughly, etc. 2. comments on the content of the communication: certainly, definitely, possibly, presumably, supposedly, reportedly, amazingly, amusingly, hopefully, reasonably, etc. More to learn

Interestingly, stress is unique and personal to each of us. Rewrite the colored part in each sentence with adverbs: (Ex.IX, p. 301) 1. To be frank, I don’t think he has the ability to do the job. Frankly, I don’t think he has the ability to do the job. More to learn

Interestingly, stress is unique and personal to each of us. Rewrite the colored part in each sentence with adverbs: (Ex.IX, p. 301) 2. My personal feeling is that I’d rather just stay home tonight. Personally, I’d rather just stay home tonight. More to learn

Interestingly, stress is unique and personal to each of us. Rewrite the colored part in each sentence with adverbs: (Ex.IX, p. 301) 3. It’s unfortunate that most pollution comes from products and services that many people want and need. Unfortunately, most pollution comes from products and services that many people want and need. More to learn

Interestingly, stress is unique and personal to each of us. Rewrite the colored part in each sentence with adverbs: (Ex.IX, p. 301) 4. There’s no doubt that teenagers get a lot more excited about pop music than their parents do. Undoubtedly, teenagers get a lot more excited about pop music than their parents do. More to learn

Interestingly, stress is unique and personal to each of us. Rewrite the colored part in each sentence with adverbs: (Ex.IX, p. 301) 5. It was surprising that no one was hurt in the accident. Surprisingly, no one was hurt in the accident.

take it easy — (infml) relax and do not do very much at all • Examples: • I’ve retired, and I’m going to take it easy for a while. • If you’ve got a weak heart, you’d better take it easy (= not be too active).

a recognized expert — a qualified or successful expert recognizedadj. — generally approved or accepted as having a particular quality or position • Examples: • She is a recognized authority on artificial intelligence. • There are several recognized techniques for treating this condition.

non-specific response of the body to a demand Translation: ? 身体对于某种要求的非特定反应

If we feel overwhelmed by pressure to do too much, we may not be able to function at all. Paraphrase: ? If we are forced to do too much and feel completely helpless, we may be unable to do anything at all.

prolongvt. — make … last longer • Examples: • All the time people are seeking to prolong life. • Inflation may prove uncontrollable over a prolonged period of time.

go through — undergo, experience Something that you go through, an event or a period of time, is especially one that is unpleasant or difficult. • Examples: • He’s amazingly cheerful considering all that he’s gone through. • Your suggestion has to go through several stages. More to learn

go through — undergo, experience Other usages ofgo though: — 2. to do (something) in order to practice or as a test — 1. use (something that cannot be used again) — 3. to examine (a collection of things) carefully in order to organize them or find something • Example: • Let’s go through it once more to make sure you know what to say. • Example: • She went through all the money from her paycheck in one day. • Example: • I’m going trough my clothes and throwing out all the stuff I don’t wear any more.

a rush hourorrush hours — the period of time in the morning and late afternoon when many people are traveling to and from work, so that the roads are full of traffic and trains and buses are crowded.

If a car suddenly pulls out in front of him, his initial alarm reaction may include fear of an accident, anger at the driver who committed the action, and general frustration. pull out — (of a motor vehicle, boat, etc.) move out or sideways • Example: • The boat pulled out into the middle of the river. More to learn

If a car suddenly pulls out in front of him, his initial alarm reaction may include fear of an accident, anger at the driver who committed the action, and general frustration. Cf.pull over — to bring a vehicle to a stop at the side of a road • Example: • We pulled over to watch the sunset. More to do

21st Century College English: Book 3