(B)

Stress: Good or Bad?

    Stress used to be an almost unknown word, but now that we are used to talking about it, I have found that people are beginning to get stressed about being stressed.

    In recent years, stress {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (regard) as a cause of a whole range of medical problems, from high blood pressure to mental illness. But like so many other things, it is only too much stress {#blank#}2{#/blank#} does you harm. It is time you considered that if there were no stress in your life, you would achieve a little. If you are stuck at home with no stress, then your level of performance will be low. Up to a certain point, the more stress you are under, the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (good) your performance will be. Beyond a certain point, though, further stress will only lead to exhaustion, illness and finally a breakdown. You can tell when youare over the top and on the downward slope, by asking yourself {#blank#}4{#/blank#} numberof questions. Do you, for instance, feel that too much is being expected of{#blank#}5{#/blank#}, and yet find it impossible to say no? Do you find yourself getting impatient or {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (annoy) with people over unimportant things? If the answer to all those questions is yes, you had better {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (control) your stress, as you probably are under more stress than is good for you.

    To some extent you can control the amount of stress in your life. Doctors have worked out a chart showing how much stress is involved in various events. Getting married is 50, pregnancy 40, moving house 20, Christmas 12, etc. If the total stress in your life is over 150, you are twice as likely {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (get) ill.

    There was no one quite like my father. When any other man had an extra dollar, he bought a drink; when Father had an extra dollar, he bought a book. Other people had pictures on their walls, or at least a calendar; we had books, 3000 of them, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(line) every surface of our little four-room house {#blank#}2{#/blank#} every subject. Father was the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (more) persistent (固执的) scholar I ever knew. Every summer he took a month or so off to attend classes. Eventually, he earned seven degrees, attended 11 different colleges and universities. My sister and I were the immediate beneficiaries of Father's insatiable (不能满足的){#blank#}4{#/blank#}(hungry) to learn.

    Before I was three, my father was reading aloud to me. Thereafter, I read aloud to him so he'd work on my {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (pronounce). By the time I was in the fifth grade, I'd recite {#blank#}6{#/blank#} classical literature to poetry and had to be prepared to do {#blank#}7{#/blank#} Then Father would warn by quoting a saying from Shakespeare, “{#blank#}8{#/blank#} all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious(乏味的) as to work. “Obviously, his efforts weren't {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (entire) in vain, for my voice has enable me to earn a fair livelihood. But that fact doesn't begin to define the most debt {#blank#}10{#/blank#} I owe my father.

    Lake Titicaca, a famous lake in South America, lies on the border between Bolivia and Peru. But the lives of the ancient people, who once lived around the lake and {#blank#}1{#/blank#} culture was thought to be highly developed, have long remained a secret. Recently, however, scientists {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(take) part in an exploration project at the lake have found {#blank#}3{#/blank#} 1000-year-old temple beneath the water.

    Divers from the study group have discovered a building that scientists think is the remains of a temple {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(build) by the people who once lived beside the lake. The project leaders hope to begin raising {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(value) materials from the site later this week {#blank#}6{#/blank#} bad weather forces a change in their plans.

    "The scientists have not yet had the chance to study the materials {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(careful)," said the project {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(found), John Aubi. "But some have put forward the idea that the remains date from this period because they are similar {#blank#}9{#/blank#} those found elsewhere."

    So far, they {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(make) more than 200 dives into water 30 metres deep. During these dives, they have been recording the ancient remains on film. There will be a meeting, starting later this year to review the film.

    I got laid off at 53 from a senior management position in a restaurant. And I knew it was going to be hard to find another job in the {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(competition) working market. My age put me at{#blank#}2{#/blank#}disadvantage. But I also knew it was time for me {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (realize) my lifelong dream of owning a restaurant.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}was most difficult was that in order to make this happen, I needed to find an {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(exist) café that wasn't doing well. It couldn't be better if its owner was ready to quit his business. With great {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (lucky) I found just what I wanted eight blocks from home. Since I had never financially planned for this day, I had to borrow money from friends as well as {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(relative). I, together with my wife,{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be) ready to start off. We changed the name to Black Dog Coffee, the menu, the recipes and the look of the caf6, and my wife did a great job of designing. Eighteen years later, we're still here and doing {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(well) than ever. I'm grateful {#blank#}10{#/blank#}the layoff and the opportunity to pursue my dream.

    It was my first day in Hangzhou, the Chinese city famous for its {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (nature) beauty and history and I didn't have much time to spare. I wanted to see {#blank#}2{#/blank#} much of the city as possible in the two days before I was to return to Guangzhou.

    My first task was to decide where to go and how to get there. I took out my guide book {#blank#}3{#/blank#} there was a lot of information about the city's well-known tourist {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (attraction) and started to read. At that moment, an attractive young lady who noticed my book came up {#blank#}5{#/blank#} me and introduced herself. She said her name was Bai Li and {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (kind) offered to show me around the city. I was delighted and was about to accept her suggestion when she {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (suggest) we first go to the West Lake and walk along the Broken Bridge.

    I liked the idea of visiting the West Lake, but wasn't so sure about crossing the Broken Bridge. If it was broken, did she expect me {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(jump) across? And I couldn't swim, so if I fell in then I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (die). That was definitely not an attractive idea, so I politely declined her {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (invite), closed my book and walked away.

    My wife and I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (pay) a visit to my parents in NewYork. We went to a fast-food restaurant for dinner together. My wife went to the counter {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (order) dishes and I stood with my parents.

    My mum is 90 years old. She can hardly see very well and walks with a stick. I was scanning the restaurant, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (wait) to sit at the first table that was {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (convenience) than others. A woman who was sitting with her son made eye contact with me and asked me to come to her. With a confused {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (express) on my face, I pointed to {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (I) and said, "Me?" She {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (nod) and said, "Yes, you." I walked to the table and she said, "Bring your family here. I can finish eating at the counter. My son is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} a hurry to leave anyway." My eyes were filled with tears as she wiped down the table and guided my dad to seat.

    I always believe that there are {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (nature)kind people in this world. This woman has set a good example to her son, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} is a really lucky guy.