Mental Illness Hits Small Business Owners Hard
While there is a growing focus on mental health in the workplace, there are fewer resources and support available to those running small businesses.
There are many reasons people choose to have their own business being their own boss, working on something they love, being able to set their own hours, or having some control over whom they work with. Yet the reality many small business owners face is far less attractive-financial stress, long working hours and unclear boundaries between work and family life. And all of these factors can have a huge impact on their mental health.
Leanne Fawkner is a business owner of an award-winning skin-care range(系列产品). She knows very well the impact that a small business can have on the mental health of its owner. When her successful business struggled due to the global financial crisis, she suffered a lot mentally. “As business slowed, I was more and more affected,” she says. “I couldn't separate myself from my business. It was the worst experience of my life. I could no longer go to work and was crying all day.”
Fawkner was diagnosed with depression. She had to take several months off work. Fortunately, her husband was able to keep things going while Fawkner was recovering. She saw a counselor (咨询师)for help and took part in a workplace mental health promotion program. This program was designed for small to medium business owners.
“The stories on the DVD in the program were so helpful. I was crying because I didn't feel so alone.” For Fawkner, small business owners are overlooked. While employees in larger organizations often have access to employee assistance programs, small business owners are struggling on their own.
1. One reason to have one's own business is that one can have more____.
2. A small business owner usually has____.
3. Fawkner's business ran into trouble because____.
4. Fawkner didn't feel so alone because____.
5. According to Fawkner, small business owners need more____.
问题1选项
A.flexible working hours
B.support from others
C.available resources
D.life experience
问题2选项
A.a more colorful life
B.a bigger profit
C.less stress from work
D.longer working time
问题3选项
A.it was taken over by her husband
B.she had a serious mental problem
C.it was hit by the financial crisis
D.she started a-mental health program
问题4选项
A.she had her family around
B.she could watch DVD at work
C.others had similar experiences
D.the counselor was helpful to her
问题5选项
A.financial aid
B.technical knowledge
C.management skills
D.mental health assistance
第1题:A
第2题:D
第3题:C
第4题:D
第5题:D
第1题:
【文章大意】精神疾病严重打击小企业主
虽然人们越来越关注工作中的心理健康，但经营小型企业的人可获得的资源和支持却越来越少。
人们选择创业自己做老板、从事自己喜欢的事情、安排自己的时间或掌控自己与谁共事的原因有很多。然而，许多小企业主面临的现实远没有那么有吸引力——财务压力、工作时间长以及工作和家庭生活之间的界限不明确。所有这些因素都会对他们的心理健康产生巨大影响。
莉安·福克纳是屡获护肤系列殊荣的老板。她非常清楚小企业可能对其所有者的心理健康产生的影响。当她成功的事业因全球金融危机而陷入困境时，她精神上遭受了很多痛苦。“随着业务放缓，我受到的影响越来越大，”她说。“我无法将自己与我的工作分开。这是我一生中最糟糕的经历。我不能再去上班，整天在哭。”
福克纳被诊断出患有抑郁症。她不得不请假几个月。幸运的是，在福克纳康复期间，她的丈夫能够让生活继续。她向咨询师寻求帮助，并参加了工作场所的心理健康促进计划。该计划是为中小型企业主设计的。
“节目中 DVD 上的故事非常有帮助。我哭了，因为我觉得不那么孤单。”对于福克纳来说，小企业主被忽视了。虽然大型组织中的员工通常可以访问员工援助计划，但小企业主却在自己苦苦挣扎。
【原文考查】事实细节题
【选项释义】拥有自己事业的原因之一是可以拥有更多____。
A.灵活的工作时间
B.其他人的支持
C.可用的资源
D.生活经验
【解题思路】根据第二段的第一句“There are many reasons people choose to have their own business being their own boss, working on something they love, being able to set their own hours, or having some control over whom they work with.”人们选择拥有自己的事业，自己当老板，从事自己喜欢的工作，是因为他们能够设定自己的工作时间，对于共事的人有一定的控制权等多种原因。选项A灵活的工作时间符合原文。故本题选A。
【干扰项排除】B、C、D选项未在文中提及。
第2题:
【原文考查】事实细节题
【选项释义】
小企业主通常有____。
A.更丰富的生活
B.更大的利润
C.工作压力更少
D.更长的工作时间
【解题思路】根据第二段的倒数第二句“Yet the reality many small business owners face is far less attractive——financial stress, long working hours and unclear boundaries between work and family life.”然而，许多小企业主面临的现实远远没有那么具有吸引力——财务压力、长时间的工作以及工作与家庭生活之间模糊的界定。只有选项D符合原文。故本题选D。
【干扰项排除】A、B、C选项不符合题意。
第3题:
【原文考查】事实细节题
【选项释义】
福克纳的生意陷入困境是因为____。
A.公司被她的丈夫接管了
B.她有严重的心理问题
C.公司受到金融危机打击
D.她开创了一个心理健康节目
【解题思路】根据关键词“Fawkner”定位到第三段“When her successful business struggled due to the global financial crisis, she suffered a lot mentally.”当她成功的生意因为全球金融危机而陷入困境时，她遭受了很多精神上的折磨。由此可知，Fawkner生意上遇到问题是因为受到金融危机的影响，所以选项C正确。故本题选C。
【干扰项排除】A、D选项说法错误；B选项与本题无关。
第4题:
【原文考查】推理判断题
【选项释义】
福克纳感到不那么孤独，因为____。
A.她的家人在身边
B.她可以在工作时看DVD
C.其他人有相似的经历
D.咨询师对她有帮助
【解题思路】根据最后一段的首句“The stories on the DVD in the program were so helpful. I was crying because I didn't feel so alone.”项目中DVD里的故事很有帮助。我哭是因为我不再觉得那么孤独。这个项目就是上一个自然段提到的：Fawkner向一位咨询师寻求帮助，并参加了一个职场心理健康促进项目。也就是说，她之所以不再感到孤单是因为咨询师对她帮助很大。故本题选D。
【干扰项排除】A、B、C选项未在文中提及。
第5题:
【原文考查】推理判断题
【选项释义】
福克纳认为，小企业主需要更多____。
A.经济援助
B.技术支持
C.管理技能
D.心理健康援助
【解题思路】根据最后一段“small business owners are overlooked”以及结合前面所说的Fawkner的经历可知，小企业主被忽略的是他们的心理健康，所以他们需要的是心理健康方面的帮助。故本题选D。
【干扰项排除】A、B、C选项未在文中提及。
