Anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being is a stress.Some stresses get you going and they are good for you – without any stress at all many say our lives would be boring and would probably feel pointless. However,when the stresses undermine both our mental and physical health they are bad.In this text we shall be focusing on stress that is bad for you.

When we are stressed the following happens:

Blood pressure rises

Breathing becomes more rapid

Heart rate (pulse) rises

Muscles become tense

We do not sleep (heightened state of alertness)

    Most of us have varying interpretations of what stress is about and what matters.Some of us focus on what happens to us,such as breaking a bone or getting a promotion,while others think more about the event itself.How you see that stressful event will be the largest single factor that impacts on your physical and mental health.Your interpretation of event and challenges in life may decide whether they are invigorating or harmful for you.

    There are three broad methods you can follow to treat stress.

Self help for treating stress

    Exercise has been proven to have a beneficial effect on a person's mental and physical state.For many people exercise is an extremely useful stress buster.

    Alcohol and drugs will not help you manage your stress better.Either stop consuming them completely,or cut down.

    If you consumption of coffee and other drinks which contain caffeine is high,cut down.

    Eat plenty of fruit and vegetable.Make sure you have a healthy and balanced diet.

    Talk to your family,friends,work colleagues and your boss.Express your thoughts and worries.

Stress management techniques

    Stress management can help you t keep away from the source of stress,change the way you view a stressful event,and lower the impact that stress might have on your body.Stress management therapy will have the objective of pursuing one or more of these approaches.

Medicines

    Doctors will not usually prescribe medications for coping with stress,unless the patient has an underlying illness,such as depression or some type of anxiety.If that is the case,the doctor is actually treating a mental illness.In such cases,an antidepressant may be prescribed.Bear in mind that there is a risk that all the medication will do is mask the stress,rather than help you deal and cope with it.

Chopsticks

    ⒈When chopsticks were invented?

    In fact, before the invention of chopsticks, Chinese ancestors actually used hands to eat, but how did they eat soup（汤菜）and porridge? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Chinese started to use chopsticks about 3,000 years ago in Shang Dynasty.

    ⒉Who invented chopsticks?

    The records of using chopsticks have been found in many written books but lack physical evidence. However many stories are about the invention of chopsticks. One says that Jiang Ziya, an ancient wise man, created chopsticks. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But there is no exact history record about the invention. We can only say that smart ancient Chinese invented chopsticks.

    ⒊How to use Chinese chopsticks.

    Using two slim sticks to pick up food is actually not difficult. You can do it if you practice it for some time, even if you are a foreigner. The key to managing chopsticks is keeping one chopstick in position while moving the other to pick up food. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ⒋Chopsticks Manners

    Chopsticks are usually held in the right hand, and left-handed chopstick use is considered as improper in China. Playing with chopsticks is thought to be impolite. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ⒌The philosophy of Chinese chopsticks

    Chinese philosopher Confucius advised people to use chopsticks instead of knives because the metal knives remind people of cold weapons, which mean killing and violence.

    ⒍A chopsticks-themed museum can be found in Shanghai

    If you are truly interested in chopsticks, you can pay a visit to the Shanghai Chopsticks Museum. The museum gathered more than 1,200 pairs of chopsticks from China, Korea, Japan and Thailand.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Chopsticks were introduced to many other neighbor countries due to its lightness and convenience.

B. It is considered to be polite and thoughtful to pick up food for the elderly and children.

C. Bamboo chopsticks are most frequently used in Chinese daily life.

D. The oldest one was from the Tang Dynasty.

E. There also go around some other stories.

F. Remember to practice with patience.

G. They had to use sticks to eat them.

    Something happens to many children when they are out of school over the summer months. It is called the “summer slide.” This may sound like a ride at a water park. But it's not. Summer slide is when children forget much of what they learned during the latest school year.

    To fight the effects of summer slide, teachers often give students homework over the summer. Many parents may send children to all kinds of camps or find other activities to keep them learning. Some even try to build up their children's strengths by getting them into extra tutoring.

    However, experts say keeping children busy all the time is not good for them. The result is often a tired child with an overcrowded schedule. This keeps a child's brain active constantly—learning, gathering information and preparing for the next event. And this may have the opposite effect the parents are not hoping for.

    What should parents do instead? Nothing. According to Lea Waters, a psychologist specializing in positive psychology and positive education, slowing down actually helps children become the best they can be. Machines need to be reset, while kids need to goof off（偷懒）. She says that goofing off really allows kids to have some downtime, when they're not focused on a specific task but are free to do something that they're interested in doing and that they can do more automatically and get enjoyment from, like shooting baskets or listening to the music.

    She also adds that goofing off does not mean the brain isn't working. It just goes into this default network mode（默认网络模式）and uses that time to process all the information it had during the day, to integrate（整合）new information. It makes a kind of decision about what information to put into memory and what to get rid of, which in fact helps to improve memory.

    If you want to keep fit, please refer to the following;

    Move More

    Make it a rule to find ways to move your body. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. Walk your dog; play with your kids. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute dance class. But that's great when you're up to it. At the same time, move more.

    Quit Smoking

    Ever since 1960 when it was announced that smoking was harmful to health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products. Just recently, we've seen more and more teens smoking. Could it be the Hollywood influence?

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Take care! Warn your children against smoking.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day can help protect against heart disease, more than can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney (肝肾) disease and cancer.

    Reduce Stress

    Easier said than done, stress comes in many ways.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like such as walking on the beach or in a park, read a good book, visit a friend, listen to relaxing music, and watch a funny movie.

    Protect Yourself From Pollution

    If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good.

A. Avoid Excessive Drinking

B. There are many things you can do to move your arms and legs.

C. Think carefully about what you will do.

D. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low.

E. It seems that the stars in every movie smoke cigarettes.

F. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook.

G. Some techniques given by experts are to think positive thoughts.

This Way to Dreamland

    Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what's happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}They annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.

    But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?

So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?

    First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you're daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.

It's also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concentrate. "Mindfulness", being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away. Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.

A. Having interesting things to think about also helps.

B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves.

C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn't have relativity, Coke or Post-it notes.

D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.

E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive.

F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand.