In the 1960s, medical researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a checklist of stressful events. They appreciated the tricky point that any major change can be stressful. Bad events like "serious illness of a family member" were high on the list, but so were some helpful life-changing events like marriage.

    When you take the Holmes-Rahe test you must remember that the score does not show how you deal with stress － it only shows how much you have to deal with. And we now know that the way you deal with these events dramatically (戏剧性的) affects your chances of staying healthy. By the early 1970s, hundreds of similar studies had followed Holmes and Rahe. And millions of Americans who work and live under stress worried over the reports. Somehow the research got boiled down to a memorable message. Women's magazines ran titles like "Stress causes illness".   

 If you want to stay physically and mentally healthy the articles said avoid stressful events. But such simplistic advice is impossible to follow. Even if stressful events are dangerous , many — like the death of a loved one — are impossible to avoid. Moreover, any warning to avoid all stressful events is a prescription (处方) for staying away from chances as well as trouble. Since any change can be stressful, a person who wanted to be completely free of stress would never marry, have a child, take a new job or move. The idea that all stress makes you sick also takes no notice of a lot of what we know about people. It supposes we' re all vulnerable and not active in the face of the difficult situation. But what about human ability and creativity? Many come through periods of stress with more physical and mental strength than they had before. We also know that a long time without change or challenge can lead to boredom and physical and mental pressure.

The result of Holmes-Rahe’s medical research tells us _________________.

     A. the way you deal with major events may cause stress

     B. what should be done to avoid stress

     C. what kind of event would cause stress

     D. how to deal with sudden changes in life

The studies on stress in the early 1970s led to ___________________.

     A. popular avoidance of stressful jobs      

B. great fear over the mental disorder

C. a careful research into stress-related illnesses

D. widespread worry about its harmful effects

The score of the Holmes-Rahe test shows ________________.

A. how you can deal with life-changing events  

B. how helpful events can change your life

C. how stressful a major event can be          

D. how much pressure you are under

Why is “such simplistic advice” (Line 1, Paragraph 3) impossible to follow?

     A. No one can stay on the same job for long.    

B. No prescription is effective in reducing stress.

C. People have to get married someday.         

D. You could be missing chances as well.

According to the passage people who have experienced ups and downs may become _______.

A. nervous when faced with difficulties          B. physically and mentally tired

C. more able to deal with difficulties            D. cold toward what happens to them

In a time of low academic (学术的) achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one investigation, 300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents (答问卷者) listed "to give children a good start academically" as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.

In the recent comparison of Japanese and American pre??school education, 91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. 62 percent of the more individually oriented (强调个性发展的) Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An em??phasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.

Like in America, there is diversity (多样性) in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential (潜力) development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools.

Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children’s chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens.

5. We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ________.

A. Japanese parents pay more attention to preschool education than American parents

B. Japan’s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements

C. Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic in??struction

D. Japan’s higher education is better than theirs

6. Most American respondents believe that preschools should also attach

importance to ________.

A. problem solvingw。        B. group experience

C. parental guidancew。      D. individually oriented development

7. In Japan’s preschool education, the focus is on ________.

A. preparing children academically    B. developing children’s artistic interests

C. tapping children’s potentialw。     D. shaping children’s character

8. Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens?

A. They can do better in their future studies.

B. They can gain more group experience there.

C. They can be individually oriented when they grow up.

D. They can have better chances of getting a first-rate edu??cation.

In a time of low academic（学术的）achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan ,a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one investigation,300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents（答问卷者）listed “to give children a good start academically” as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.

In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education,91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools.62 percent of the more individually oriented（强调个性发展的）Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An emphasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.

Like in America, there is diversity（多样性）in Japanese early childhood education .Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential（潜力）development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools.

Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children’s chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens.

1.We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ____.

A. Japanese parents pay more attention to preschool education than American parents

B. Japan’s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements

C. Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction

D. Japan’s higher education is better than theirs

2.Most American respondents believe that preschools should also attach importance to ____.

A. problem solving

B. group experience

C. parental guidance

D .individually oriented development

3.In Japan’s preschools education, the focus is on ____.

A. preparing children’s artistic interests

B. developing children’s artistic interests

C. tapping children’s potential

D. shaping children’s character

4.Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens?

A. They can do better in their future studies.

B. They can gain more group experience there.

C. They can be individually oriented when they grows up.

D. They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.

In a time of low academic（学术的）achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan ,a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one investigation,300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents（答问卷者）listed “to give children a good start academically” as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.

In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education,91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools.62 percent of the more individually oriented（强调个性发展的）Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An emphasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.

Like in America, there is diversity（多样性）in Japanese early childhood education .Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential（潜力）development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools.

Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children’s chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens.

1.We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ____.

A. Japanese parents pay more attention to preschool education than American parents

B. Japan’s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements

C. Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction

D. Japan’s higher education is better than theirs

2.Most American respondents believe that preschools should also attach importance to ____.

A. problem solving

B. group experience

C. parental guidance

D .individually oriented development

3.In Japan’s preschools education, the focus is on ____.

A. preparing children’s artistic interests

B. developing children’s artistic interests

C. tapping children’s potential

D. shaping children’s character

4.Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens?

A. They can do better in their future studies.

B. They can gain more group experience there.

C. They can be individually oriented when they grows up.

D. They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.

The way people hold to the belief that a fun - filled, pain free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably(不可避免的)brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment (义务), self - improvement.
Ask a bachelor(单身汉)why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three - day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates（解放） time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
1. According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because _______ .
A. he finds more fun in dating than in marriage
B. he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single
C. he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities
D. he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement
2. Raising children, in the author’s opinion is ________ .
A. a rewarding task                  B. a thankless job
C. a moral duty                     D. a source of inevitable pain
3. From the last paragraph, we learn that envy sometimes stems from(由…造成)________ .
A. hatred　　 B. ignorance      C. prejudice(偏见)　　　D. misunderstanding
4. To understand what true happiness is one must ________ .
A. have as much fun as possible during one’s lifetime
B. be able to distinguish happiness from fun
C. put up with pain under all circumstances
D. make every effort to liberate oneself from pain
5. What is the author trying to tell us?
A. It is important to make commitments     B. One must know how to attain happiness.
C. Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.   D. It is pain that leads to happiness.