Unit 7 Section A Lighten Your Load And Save Your Life
1. Pre-reading
1. 1 Background information
Stress: “Americans’ #1 Health Problem.” So reads the headline of an article published by the American Institute of Stress that claims the biggest threat to health today is neither cancer nor AIDS. The report says: “it has been estimated that 75-90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems.”
According to the National Consumers League, ‘work is the top source of stress for adults who have problems and stress in their lives (39%), followed by family (30%). Other sources include health (10%), concern about economy (9%) and concern about international conflict and terrorism (4%).
压力: 美国“压力协会”发表的一篇文章以“美国头号健康问题”为题,宣称如今健康的最大威胁不是癌症,也不是艾滋病,而是压力。该报告称,具估计,日常人们去看医生75%-90%是因压力而产生的不舒服。
“美国消费者协会” 认为，39%的成年人的压力主要来自工作，他们大多生活中有问题和压力存在;其次, 30%的压力来自家庭。其他压力源自于: 健康(10%), 关注经济(9%), 关注国际间的冲突和恐怖主义(4%)。
Dr. Robert S. Eliot: Dr. Robert S. Eliot, the author of the book: From Stress to Strength: How to Lighten Your Load and Save Your Life. You can read a short discussion on his book at the website given: http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1998/3/22/article_01.htm.
罗伯特•S. 埃利奥特: 《从压力到力量: 怎样减轻你的负担并拯救你的生命》一书的作者。在http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1998/3/22/article_01.htm 这一网址上你能读到有关他的这本书的讨论。
The University of Nebraska: The university (1869) has four campuses. Its main campus is located in Lincoln, where colleges of arts and sciences, agriculture, education, architecture, engineering and technology, business administration, journalism, and law are housed. The University of Nebraska’s medical center has colleges of medicine, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy.
内布拉斯加大学: 该校成立于1869年,有四个校区。主校园位于林肯市,主要有文理学院¥农学院¥教育学院¥工程技术学院¥商学院¥新闻学院¥法学院等。该校医学中心下设:医学院¥护理学院¥牙科医学院¥药学院等
ranklin: Benjamin (Ben) Franklin, a very famous American of the 1700’s best known for his experiments with electricity and nature, using kites.
本杰明(本) • 富兰克林: 十八世纪美国名人,因为用风筝做电的实验而闻名。
1. 2 Topic-related listening/video
2. While-reading
2. 1 Global reading
2. 1. 1 Understanding the major details of the text
1)What is stress? What causes stress?
Stress is a state of tension that just results when a person responds to the demands and pressures. It may come from work, family and other external sources, as well as those internal factors, like self-imposed demands and self-criticism derived from fear, uncertainty, doubt, improper ambition and lack of self-control. This is particularly true with hard-working professional women and people with no goals in life. Stress, once it goes to excess, can almost ruin a person.
2) What are the NICE factors? Why are they important?
NICE factors include new, interesting, and challenging experiences. These factors help people relax themselves and take charge of their life. Consequently, they are more likely to be able to cope with the stress, because trying new, interesting and challenging things can give people’s negative feelings an outlet and relieve their psychological burden. With a relaxed mind and good mood, people will put their talents to better use, thus making greater achievements.
3) How do we follow Ben Franklin’s example?
When it comes to what to do in order to relax and take control of our life, we may follow Ben Franklin’s example. According to Ben Franklin, first we can write down the important goals we want to achieve in our life. And then, we can narrow down the list and set our priority. However, if we have some problems we are unable to bring under control, we may as well learn to accept and get used to them.
2. 1. 2 Understanding the organization of the text
1) Main idea of the text
Stress exerts great impact upon people both (1)______. According to the research done by Dr. Robert S. Eliot (2)______may cause tremendous and rapid increases in (3)______and then bring damage to (4)______. In fact these problems may be attributed to such FUD factors as (5)______, (6)______, (7)______and (8)______. To cope with stress, we should (9)______our life, lighten the load and learn to fit in with the life.
(1) physically and psychologically (2) excess stress (3) blood pressure (4) the heart (5) fear (6) uncertainty (7) doubt (8) lack of control (9) take charge of
2) Division of the text
Part I (Paras. 1-3)
Stress, once (1)______, will threaten your life. So if you don’t want it to affect your health, you need to (2)______and (3)______of your ability.
(1) spinning out of your control (2) take charge of your life (3) recognize the limit
Part II (Paras. 4-6)
The research finds that stressed people have (4)______levels, which is because excess stress can burst (5) ______and then cause (6) ______, thus making it impossible for one to live.
(4) higher cholesterol / (5) heart muscle fibers / (6) crazy heart rhythms
Part III (Paras. 7-11)
There are many factors leading to stress but the main predictors of destructive levels of stress are (7) ______.
(7) the FUD factors
Part IV (Paras. 12-20)
To cope with stress in life, people need to take charge of the life and recognize some parts of their life (8) ______and learn to (9) ______.
(8) beyond their control (9) flow
2. 2 Detailed reading
2. 2. 1 Words and Phrases
1) be out of control (L. 1)
If you often feel angry and overwhelmed, like the stress in your life is spinning out of control, then you may be hurting your heart. (L. 1-2)
如果你常常生气、心烦意乱、情绪激动，好像你生活中的压力正在快速加剧并变得失去控制，那么你可能是在损害你的心脏了。
温故知新:
The future is not something imposed upon us by fate or other forces beyond our control. (Unit 9-A, Book I) (beyond one’s control = out of control)
未来不是由命运或其他不可抗拒的力量强加于我们。
People seem to have forgotten ways to keep diseases under control. Although medical science had achieved control over several dangerous diseases, some are returning. (Unit 9-B, Book I)人们似乎已经忘记了如何控制疾病。虽然医学早就能够控制若干危险的疾病，有些病却正在卷土重来。(“under control” is the opposite of “out of control”) (have control over sth. =control sth.)
常用搭配:
be out of control 失去控制
be beyond control 失去控制
be under control 控制住
bring…under control 把……控制住
have control over sth. 控制某事物
Prices everywhere ______(处于失控无序的状态); people are complaining of the increasing prices.
were out of control
It took the teacher months to ______(把他教的班级控制住).
bring his class under control
2) among other things (L. 11)
Eliot says researchers have found that stressed people have higher cholesterol levels, among other things. (L. 10-11)
埃利奥特说，研究人员已经发现，有压力的人除了其他症状外，胆固醇的含量也较高。
At the meeting they discussed, among other things, recent events in Far East.
会上他们讨论了有关远东最近发生的事情和其他一些事情。(除其他……之外)
要想保持健康，除了其他方面，饮食和锻炼至关重要。
Among other things, diet and exercises are of vital importance to health.
Robert is very keen on sport: ______(除其他活动外，他每星期打三次篮球).
among other things, he plays basketball three times a week.
3) excess (L. 11)
We’ve done years of work in showing that excess alarm or stress chemicals can literally burst heart muscle fibers. (L. 11-12)
我们已经做了多年研究，证明过分忧虑或紧张所产生的化学物质的确会损伤心肌纤维。
If you take more luggage than is allowed, you will have to pay for the excess luggage (adj. extra or additional)
温故知新:
Factors affecting general health include excessive smoking and drinking of alcohol and polluted water supplies. (Unit 9-B, Book I)
影响大众健康的因素包括吸烟过度\酗酒以及饮水污染。 (too much, too great)
Now, 500 years later, excessive fishing has reduced the number of fish to dangerously low level.(Unit1-A, BookII) 五百年后的今天， 过度捕捞已使鱼的数量减少到危险的程度。
词语辨析：
excess: （1） adj. additional 超过限额的；附加的
（2） n. the fact of exceeding, an amount by which sth. exceeds
excessive adj. too much, too great 过多的，过度的
Practice:
1.You will have to pay______postal charges on this letter. excess
2.She takes an ______interest in clothes in comparison to her studies. excessive
3.I often advise him never to spend money ______of his income. excess
4) attribute …to… (L. 16)
He attributes some of the cause to stress. (L. 16)
他把这次心脏病发作的部分原因归于压力。(归因于)
Experts attributed the frequent sandstorms this winter to erosion and deforestation.
专家把今冬频繁的沙尘暴归因于水土流失和过度伐木。
词语辨析1:
attribute…to…：归因于…… ， 归功于……
owe…to… : 归功于…… (不用被动态)
I owe so much to my family for standing by me through all this.
我很感激家人自始至终支持我。
她把自己的成功归因于运气好。
She attributed her success to good luck. (=owe…to…)
1,150 deaths a year ______(死于酒后驾驶), which serves a good warning to drivers.
can be attributed to drunk driving
词语辨析2：
attribute: caused by 把。。。。。。归因于
distribute: give out 分发； 分布
contribute: be helpful to 促使；有助于
Practice:
1.The natural resources in our countries are not ______in a balanced way. distributed
2.Regular exercises and proper diet will ______to your health. contribute
3.Liu Xiang ______his success in the Olympic Games to the cultivation and the encouragement of his coach. attributed
5) emphasis (L. 33)
And they give the same emphasis to a traffic jam that they give a family argument. (L. 32-33)
他们把交通堵塞看得和家庭纠纷一样重。
常用搭配:
give emphasis to sth. 强调，重视
lay / place emphasis on sth. 强调，重视
with emphasis (on) ad. 强调，着力
In the course of children’s growth, we should give as much emphasis to the cultivation of their love for others as to their intellectual development.
在孩子的成长过程中，我们应把对孩子的爱心培养和智力发展看得同等重要。
This course offers students a wide choice of study, with emphasis on literature from ancient times.
该课程提供多种学科供学生们选择，其中以古代文学为主。
The new economic policy ______(着力降低通货膨胀).
lays great emphasis on reducing inflation
6) outlet (L. 34)
If you own anger for more than five minutes---if you stir in your own juice with no safety outlet---you have to find out where it’s coming from. (L. 33-35)
如果你生气超过5分钟---如果你生闷气，没有安全的发泄渠道的话---你就必须弄清楚你生气缘自何处。
常用搭配:
find an outlet of / for: to let go of
Leave enough time for activities. Children need an ______(发泄精力的机会).
outlet for their energy
It is not that he loves writing letters but that writing letters is ______(他唯一的情感发泄渠道). his only form of emotional outlet
He is used to talking to his best friends to ______(发泄心中的怨气).
find an outlet for / of his anger
7) recommend (L. 40)
Eliot recommends taking charge of your life. (L. 40)
埃利奥特建议人们控制自己的生活。
常用搭配:
recommend sth. / sb. for sb. 向某人推荐……；推荐某人做…
recommend sb. as… 推荐某人为……
recommend doing sth. =suggest doing sth. 建议做某事
recommend sb. to do sth. 劝某人做
recommend that (should) 建议……
We'd ______(建议人们远离) these young men for their own safety, as there have been several violent incidents recently.
recommend people to stay away from
The headmaster agreed to ______(把老师们的建议推荐给政府).
recommend the teachers' suggestions to the government
医生竭力建议他尽快戒烟。
The doctor strongly recommended that she .should stop smoking as soon as possible.
也许你可以推荐一些英语小说给我在暑假看。
Perhaps you can recommend some English novels for me to read in summer holiday.
8) stimulate (L. 48)
He wrote down things like being a better father, being a better husband, being financially independent, being stimulated intellectually and remaining even-tempered---he wasn’t good at that. (L. 46-48)
他写下了诸如要做一个更好的爸爸、更好的丈夫、经济上独立、智力上活跃，而且还要保持性情平和---这一点他也做不好。
Success will stimulate a person to further efforts/ make greater efforts. (v. make sb/sth. more active激励，促使)
成功激励人们更加努力。
The book was trying to stimulate discussion of the problem of global warming / people to discuss the problem of global warning. ( v. arouse 引起，激起)
这本书试图引发人们讨论全球变暖问题。
我希望我的告诫会促使她作出更大的努力。
I hoped my warning would stimulate her to greater efforts.
这次展览引起人们对这位艺术家的作品的兴趣.
The exhibition stimulated interest in the artist's work.
常用搭配:
stimulate one’s imagination/ interest/ curiosity／motivation
9) cut down (L. 49)
Eliot says you can first make a list of 12 things, then cut it down to 6 and set your priorities. (L. 48-49)
埃利奥特说，你可以先列出12件事，然后把它压缩到6件，要确定轻重缓急。
温故知新:
Trees are cut down, more soil washes away, and water quality is affected. ( Unit 9-B, Book I)
树木遭砍伐，越来越多的泥土被冲走，水质受到了影响。 （砍伐）
常用搭配:
cut (sth.) down (sth.) 砍伐;减少……的量
cut sth. down to (prep.) 将……减少到……
cut down on sth. 减少……的量
You should cut down on video games if you don’t want to fail the exams.
如果你想通过考试，就应少玩电子游戏。
Your article is well-written except for being too long. Please ______(压缩到1000字).
cut it down to 1000 words
Thanks to the efficient and proper treatment after the accident, the damage ______(降到了最低限度).
was cut down to the minimum level
10) priority (L. 50)
Eliot says you can first make a list of 12 things, then cut it down to 6 and set your priorities. (L. 49-50)
埃利奥特说，你可以先列出12件事，然后把它压缩到6件，要确定轻重缓急。
Whatever you do, priorities should be set because it is unwise to try to attend to big and small matters all at once. (确定优先做的事情)
无论做什么事情都应该有个轻重缓急，因为眉毛胡子一把抓是不明智的.
你不可能在这码段的时间内完成所有的任务，因此你应该分清轻重缓急.
It is impossible for you to get all the tasks done within such a short period of time so you must decide what your priorities are.
常用搭配:
take / have priority over 比……在先, 有优先权
give sth. priority over 给予……优先权, 首要考虑……, 先做……
one’s priority is to do sth. 优先要做的是……
This is an important matter, so we must______(优先考虑这件事) all other business.
give it priority over
They insist that the right to education______(优于其他一切应考虑的因素) because it will decide a nation's future development.take priority over all other considerations
Our ______(首要的任务是有一个高效的) transport system, and clean air is a secondary factor. priority is to have an efficient
2. 2. 2 Sentence patterns
1) 原句: On the exterior, he was cool, calm and collected but on the interior, stress was killing him. (L. 17-18) 表面上，他显得沉着、冷静和泰然自若，但他内心深处的压力使他筋疲力尽。
句型提炼: On the exterior, …., but on the interior, …表面上，……但是（其实）内在是……
应用:
On the exterior, she is timid and weak-willed; but ______(内心却十分坚强) and never yields to any difficulties.
on the interior, she has a rather strong mind
表面上，他好像对什么事都不在乎，但他内心深出很看重这次面试。
On the exterior, he seems casual with everything, but on the interior, he takes the interview seriously.
2) 原句: And they give the same emphasis to a traffic jam that they give a family argument. (L. 32-33) 他们把交通堵塞看得和家庭纠纷一样重。
句型提炼: sb. gives the same emphasis to sth. that he / she gives sth.……把……看得和……一样重
应用:
我姐姐把拥有一个幸福家庭看得和有一个成功的事业一样重。
My sister gives the same emphasis to a happy family that she gives a successful career.
她把立即开始工作看得和获得硕士学位一样重。
She gave the same emphasis to beginning work immediately that she gave a master’s degree.
3) 原句: From Eliot’s viewpoint, the other key to controlling stress is to “realize that there are other troublesome parts of your life over which you can have little or no control ― like the economy and politicians.” (L. 54)
依照爱里奥特的观点，控制压力的另一个关键因素是“要承认你生活中还有一些棘手的、你几乎无法或完全无法控制的东西―比如经济以及政客们”。
句型提炼:
From sb.’s viewpoint / point of view, the (other) key to doing sth. is to realize / admit / beware that
依照某人的观点，做某事的(另一个)关键因素是承认 / 意识到 (谨防)……---.
应用:
From a philosopher’s point of view, ______(摆脱烦恼的另一关键因素是) to realize that there is always something in life beyond your control -
the other key to keeping your mind free from worry is
依照医生的观点，保持健康的另一关键要素是定期体检。因为防病生于治病。
From doctors’ viewpoint, the othe key to stay healthy is to have regular medical checkup, for prevention is better than cure.
2. 3 Guided writing: A paragraph of cause-and-effect (因果关系)
In the reading passage the writer deals with the harmful effects of stress. In Paragraph 5, we find the shocking effect of stress is death. However, the writer does not jump to the conclusion abruptly. Instead, the writer presents a progressive process of a series of causes and effects, which makes the argument more convincing.