How to SurviveExam Stress

        Exam time is one of the most stressful in school, whether it is highschool, college or graduate school. Even the best students feel the pressure. The first sign of a problem while preparing for an exam isworry.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} If we can get rid of worries, or at leastcontrol them, then we're in a much better position to do well on our tests. Take the following steps to survive examstress and increase your overall performance as a result.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} What causes you anxiety when you are studying? Too much noise? Then move to a quieter place.Delayed work? Catch up with your studies a couple nights before. That way youcan save the final night before the exam to review and get a good night ofsleep.

        The second way to deal with worry is to replace thoughts. Suppose you wake up at three in the morning and you're worried about an exam.What do you do?{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Doing something productive might allow you tosleep better when you finally do go back to bed.

        Another way tore place negative thoughts is to do something physically active. Work out. Takea quick walk or a nice run.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} For example, I might worry about the examhaving surprise questions that I'm not prepared to answer. But I can put thosethoughts aside by reminding myself that I've taken many exams and I've handledsurprise questions before.

        The third option is to treat the symptoms. Keepthings in perspective. Think of one final exam that causes you the mostanxiety. Now think of the worst thing that could happen. If you've prepared,then likely the worst grade you could get is a C. And, if you've been applying what we've been talking about, then you'll likely do no worse than a B. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} .

A. How bad is thatreally?

B. The first is to delete the causes.

C. Another idea isto think positive thoughts.

D. How aboutgetting up and studying for an hour?

F. What we should do is to thinkpositively and get rid of it.

G. So we are supposed to make our effortto improve our surroundings.

    Ali is from a Middle Eastern country. He now stays in the USA. He smokes a lot of cigarettes every day. He has smoked for nine years. Ali says, “I tried to quit (放弃) smoking in my hometown, but it was impossible. My parents smoke. My brothers smoke. All my friends smoke. At parties and at meetings, almost all the men smoke. Here in the United States, not as many people smoke.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}”

Many smokers are like Ali: they want to stop smoking.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  They know it can cause cancer and heart disease. But it is difficult for them to give up smoking because cigarettes have a drug in them. The drug is nicotine. People who smoke a lot need nicotine.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} The nicotine makes him sick. In a few days, the smoker's body is used to the nicotine, and he feels fine. Later, the smoker needs nicotine to keep feeling fine. Without nicotine, he feels bad.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  Many people who quit will soon smoke again. At a party or at work they will decide to smoke “just one” cigarette. Then they will smoke another cigarette, and another. Soon they become smokers again. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

A. It is very hard to quit smoking.

B. Thus nicotine makes smokers addicted to cigarettes.

C. It will be easier to change the smoking habit here.  

D. But it is said that medicine is needed to stop them from smoking.

E. When a person first begins to smoke, he usually feels terrible.

F. Maybe there is only one easy way to quit smoking: never start.

G. The smokers know that smoking is bad for their health.

     Much meaning can be conveyed clearly with our eyes, so it is often said that eyes can speak.

     {#blank#}1{#/blank#}In a bus you may look at a stranger, but not for too long. And if he sensed that you are staring at him, he may feel uncomfortable.

     The same is true in our daily life. If you are stared at for more than necessary, you will look at yourself up and down to see if there is anything wrong with you. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Eyes do speak, right？

     Looking too long at someone may seem to be rude and aggressive.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.If a man stares at a woman for more than 10 seconds and refuses to look away from her, his intentions are obvious. He wishes to attract her attention, and let her know that he is admiring her.

     However, when two persons are engaged in a conversation, the speaker will only look into the listener's eyes from time to time to make sure that the listener does pay attention to what the former is speaking.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.If a speaker looks at you continuously when speaking as if he trying to control you, you will feel awkward. A poor liar usually exposes himself by looking too long at the victim. He wrongly believes that looking straight in the eye is a sign of honest communication. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

     Actually, eye contact should be made based on specific relationship and situation.

A. On the contrary, it will give him away.

B. Do you have such a kind of experience?

C. That's what normal eye contact is all about.

D. Actually, continuous eye contact is limited to lovers only.

E. After all, everybody likes to be stared at for quite a long time.

F. But things are different when it comes to staring at the opposite sex.

G. If nothing goes wrong, you will feel annoyed at being stared at that way.

    When you're feeling anxious or stressed, the strategies (策略) listed below can help you deal with it.

    Eating and sleeping well.

    Living a healthy lifestyle is important. From sleep to nutrition, the healthier your body is, the better it works, and the better it works, the less you'll experience anxiety. These aren't anxiety cures. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Simply sleeping more isn't going to magically take it away. However, they'll greatly reduce the symptoms, which should help you deal with anxiety much more easily.

    Yoga.

    Yoga is a type of exercise that has great benefits to reducing anxiety.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Those with anxiety need an opportunity to slow their lives down so that it feels more manageable.

    Relaxation Strategies.

    Many relaxation strategies exist that help you deal with anxiety. Flying your imagination is a great one.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Creating memories is another great one. You can go to the museum or try a new cuisine. These strategies give your mind an opportunity to be calmer so that you can cope with stress naturally.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Your thoughts tend to be your enemy when you suffer from anxiety. So stop focusing on those thoughts and give yourself a break to simply calm down. Talking on the phone with someone you like about positive things can be more powerful than you realize.

    Journaling.

    Writing thoughts down in a journal may seem like something you only did as a child.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}It not only gives you a chance to let out your thoughts, but tells your brain that it doesn't have to focus on remembering them as much as it did previously.

A. Distracting yourself.

B. Actively face your fears.

C. The key is to reduce their severity.

D. However* it's a powerful healing tool.

E. It is a slower form of exercise that is not challenging.

F. Simply imagine yourself and your five senses in a more relaxing place.

G. Anxiety is more of a mental health disorder developed through years of experiences.

    ISM is a large company in St. Louis, Missouri, but the top leaders are not satisfied with the performance of its staff. One day not too long ago the employees returned from their lunch break and were greeted with a sign on the front door. The sign said:{#blank#}1{#/blank#} We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym.

    At first everyone was sad to hear that one of their colleagues had died, but after a while they started getting curious about who this person might be. The excitement grew as the employees arrived at the gym to pay their last respects. Everyone wondered:{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Well, at least he's no longer here!

    One by one the employees got closer to the coffin and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood over the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU.

    You are the only person who can revolutionize your life.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success.

    Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes.

    Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone could see the person who passed away

B. Who is the person that passed away?

C. when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.

D. A mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself

E. Yesterday the person who has been limiting your growth in this company passed away.

F. You are the only person who can help yourself

G. Who is this person that was limiting your progress?

    Friends should always be honest with you, right? So when they lie, it can be really hard to take. You want to trust your friends and that means knowing that they'll tell it to you straight no matter what it is. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Why does this happen?

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    One of the biggest reasons friends lie is simply to avoid hurting your feelings. Some people don't understand the difference between being gently honest with a friend and being so straightforward that they leave a verbal wound. They choose to avoid these two extremes in the form of a lie.

    They feel embarrassed.

    Sometimes friends will lie about things in their life because they are too embarrassed to admit the truth. Maybe they are going through a rough time and they just don't want you to know about it. Avoid trying to badger (纠缠) your friends into telling you what's wrong. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Avoid an argument with you.

    Perhaps your friends know that if they tell you the truth, you'll get angry with them. Make sure that if a friend tells you something unpleasant, you don't overact. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you do end up arguing, do it in a respectable way.

    Exclude you.

    Lying isn't always a sign that friends are trying to protect you, however. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When you find out with certainty that your friend is lying to you, try and face it. If you feel your friend is lying because he or she doesn't want to be around you, that's your wake-up to move on.

A. Protect your feelings.

B. They want to be your closer friends.

C. But a friend who lies isn't always trying to hurt you.

D. Consider what's being said and why your friend is telling you this.

E. Being honest and making a sincere effort can keep the friendship strong.

F. Sometimes they lie because they don't want you to be included in their plans.

G. Instead, make it clear that you are there for them when and if they are ready to talk.