“Humans should not try to avoid stress any more than they would shun food, love or exercise.” said Dr. Hans Selye, the first physician to document the effects of stress on the body. While here’s no question that continuous stress is harmful, several studies suggest that challenging situations in which you’re able to rise to the occasion can be good for you.

　　In a 2001 study of 158 hospital nurses, those who faced considerable work demands but coped with（设法处理） the challenge were more likely to say they were in good health than those who felt they couldn’t get the job done.

　　Stress that you can manage may also boost immune(免疫的) function. In a study at the Academic Center for Dentistry in Amsterdam, researchers put volunteers through two stressful experiences. In the first, a timed task that required memorizing a list followed by a short test, subjects believed they had control over the outcome. In the second, they weren’t in control: They had to sit through a gory(血淋淋的) video on surgical procedures. Those who did go on the memory test had an increase in levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that's the body’s first line of defense against germs. The video-watchers experienced a downturn in the antibody.

　　Stress prompts the body to produce certain stress hormones（荷尔蒙）. In short bursts these hormones have a positive effect, including improved memory function. “They can help nerve cells handle information and put it into storage,” says Dr. Bruce McEwen of Rockefeller University in New York. But in the long run these hormones can have a harmful effect on the body and brain.

“Sustained stress is not good for you,” says Richard Morimoto, a researcher at Northwestern University in Illinois studying the effects of stress on longevity(长寿), “It’s the occasional burst of stress or brief exposure to stress that could be protective.”

1.The passage is mainly about ________.

A. the benefits of manageable stress

B. how to avoid stressful situations

C. how to cope with stress effectively

D. the effects of stress hormones on memory

2. The underlined word “shun” (Line 1, Para.1) most probably means________.

A. cut down on

B. stay away from

C. run out of

D. put up with

3. We can conclude from the study of the 158 nurses in 2001 that ________.

A. people under stress tend to have a poor memory

B. people who can’t get their job done experience more stress

C. doing challenging work may be good for one’s health

D. stress will weaken the body’s defense against germs

4.Dr. Bruce McEwen of Rockefeller University believes that ________.

A. a person’s memory is determined by the level of hormones in his body

B. stress hormones have lasting positive effects on the brain

C. short bursts of stress hormones enhance memory function

D. a person’s memory improves with continued experience of stress

改错

EVENTS(赛事)
Bicycle tour and race
　  A bike tour and race will be held on August 26 and 27(Sat. & Sun. ). At 5:30am, the riders will leave Tian'anmen Square and ride the first 35 kilometers as a training leg. Then the next 55 kilometers leg, from Yanjiao to Jixian, will be the first competitive part of the tour. The riders and their bikes will then be taken from Jixian to Changli.
　　The second racing leg of the tour will be from Changli to the seaside of Nandaibe, covering a distance of 20 kilometers. Saturday night includes the stay at Nandaihe and supper. Sunday morning is free for play at the seaside. At noon all the people and their bikes will be taken back to Beijing.
　　Cost: 200 Yuan   Telephone: 4675027
Brazilian footballers
　　The Brazilian Football Club will play Beijing Guo'an Team at the Workers Stadium on August 26. The club has four national team players. Also coming is 1994 US World Cup star　Romario ho has promised to play for at least 45 minutes.
　　Ticket prices: 60,100,150 Yuan
　　Time/Date: 4:30 pm, August 26(Sat.)   Telephone:  5012372
Rock climbing
The Third National Rock Climbing Competition will be held on August 26-27 at the Huairou Mountain-climbing Training Base. More than 10 teams from Beijing, Wuhan, Dalian, Jilin and other places will take part in it. A Japanese team will give an exhibition climbing. Free for spectators(观众).
　　Take a long-distance bus from Dongzhimen to Huairou.
　　Time/Dates: 9-12 am, August 26 and 27
　　Telephone: 7143177, 7144850, Wang Zhenghua
【小题1】 If you take part in the bike tour, you will ride for _________.

—Could I make it 14th July?

—________.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

A．You can manage it? ????????????? B．That's fine with me

C．Not a bit of it? ????????????? D．Go ahead with it