People often discuss the dangers of too much stress, but lately a very different view of stress is gaining popularity: this view of stress, held by members of the positive stress movement, argues that stress might actually be beneficial. The positive stress movement is made up of people such as Zachary Rapp who are looking for an edge in a competitive world, and Rapp’s routine is a good example of followers of the movement. He wakes up most mornings at dawn, goes for a run, sips black coffee while rippling through emails, and then steps into freezing cold shower. This is a routine designed to reduce the stress of running simultaneously three different health and biotechnology companies for 18 hours a day.
Although Rapp’s practices may sound extreme, he is part of a growing movement, consisting largely of tech industry workers who claim that such radical tactics will help them live better and longer. Inspired by influential figures in different fields, including entertainers, athletes, entrepreneurs and scientists, positive stress practitioners seek out some combination of extreme temperatures, restrictive diets, punishing exercise routines and general discomfort.
Rapp argues that positive stress keeps him balanced. In addition to running and freezing showers, Rapp uses ice baths, hot yoga, and unconventional eating practices such as eliminating dairy, sugar, alcohol and various other foods high in carbohydrates. He believes that these practices, which put stress on his body, actually make him feel less stress from work. However, Rapp does not credit anyone in particular for his choices: he said he started using these methods in college, where he got into the habit of taking ice baths to recover from sports. He got back into it while trying to get his three companies off the ground.
Rapp works long hours and sleeps only five to seven hours a night but he said he only gets sick once a year. For him, the difference between day-to-day stress, like the kind we feel when moving apartments, and positive stress is that the latter involves pushing the body to extremes and forcing it to build up a tolerance.
But it is important to note that not everyone agrees with these practitioners; indeed, some medical professionals argue that positive stress is not for everyone, and that it might even be dangerous for people who are unhealthy or older.
1. What do we learn about followers of the positive stress movement?
2.What do followers of the positive stress movement usually do to put their ideas into practice?
3.What does Rapp say about his unconventional practices?
4.What can be inferred from the passage about day-to-day stress?
5.What do some medical professionals think of positive stress?
问题1选项
A.They are usually quite sensitive to different types of stress.
B.They hold a different view on stress from the popular one.
C.They derive much pleasure from living a very hectic life.
D.They gain a competitive edge by enjoying good health.
问题2选项
A.They keep changing their living habits.
B.They network with influential figures.
C.They seek jobs in tech industries.
D.They apply extreme tactics.
问题3选项
A.They help him combat stress from work.
B.They enable him to cut down living expenses.
C.They enable him to recover from injuries and illness.
D.They help him get three companies listed all at once.
问题4选项
A.It is harmful to one’s physical and mental health.
B.It does not differ in essence from positive stress.
C.It is something everybody has to live with.
D.It does not help build up one’s tolerance.
问题5选项
A.Its true effect remains to be verified.
B.Its side effect should not be ignored.
C.Its effect varies considerably from person to person.
D.Its practitioners should not take it as a form of therapy.
第1题:B
第2题:D
第3题:A
第4题:D
第5题:C
第1题:
【选项释义】
What do we learn about followers of the positive stress movement? 我们对积极压力运动的追随者有什么了解？
A. They are usually quite sensitive to different types of stress. A. 他们通常对不同类型的压力相当敏感。
B. They hold a different view on stress from the popular one. B. 他们对压力所持的观点与流行的观点不同。
C. They derive much pleasure from living a very hectic life. C. 他们从非常忙碌的生活中获得了很多乐趣。
D. They gain a competitive edge by enjoying good health. D. 他们通过享受良好的健康来获得竞争优势。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词followers of the positive stress movement可以定位到文章第一段第一句“人们经常讨论压力过大的危险，但最近一种截然不同的（different）压力观正在流行：这种由积极压力运动成员（members of the positive stress movement）持有的压力观认为，压力实际上可能是有益的（stress might actually be beneficial）”，说明积极压力运动的追随者认为压力是有益的，这与普遍认为压力过大很危险的观点不同。因此B选项“他们对压力所持的观点与流行的观点不同。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“他们通常对不同类型的压力相当敏感。”和C选项“他们从非常忙碌的生活中获得了很多乐趣。”在文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项“他们通过享受良好的健康来获得竞争优势。”，由who are looking for an edge in a competitive world（他们在竞争激烈的世界中寻找优势）可知，文章只说到他们寻求竞争优势，没有提及通过享受良好的健康，属于无中生有。
第2题:
【选项释义】
What do followers of the positive stress movement usually do to put their ideas into practice? 积极压力运动的追随者通常做什么来实践他们的想法？
A. They keep changing their living habits. A. 他们不断改变自己的生活习惯。
B. They network with influential figures. B. 他们与有影响力的人物建立联系。
C. They seek jobs in tech industries. C. 他们在科技行业寻找工作。
D. They apply extreme tactics. D. 他们采用极端策略。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词practice可以定位到文章第二段第二句“积极压力实践者（positive stress practitioners）寻求极端（extreme）温度、限制性（restrictive）饮食、惩罚性（punishing）锻炼习惯和全身不适（general discomfort）的综合体验”，说明积极压力运动的追随者采取的实践都是一些极端的方法。因此D选项“他们采用极端策略。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“他们不断改变自己的生活习惯。”，由This is a routine designed to reduce the stress of running simultaneously three different health and biotechnology companies for 18 hours a day.（这是为了减轻每天18个小时同时经营三家不同的健康和生物技术公司的压力而设计的日常惯例。）可知，他们已经形成了规律的生活习惯，属于反向干扰；
B选项“他们与有影响力的人物建立联系。”，由Inspired by influential figures in different fields, including entertainers, athletes, entrepreneurs and scientists（受到艺人、运动员、企业家和科学家等不同领域有影响力人物的启发）可知，他们的实践方法受到了有影响力的人物的启发，而不是与有影响力的人物建立联系，属于曲解原文；
C选项“他们在科技行业寻找工作。”，由consisting largely of tech industry workers（主要由科技行业的从业者组成）可知，他们的大部分成员都从事于科技行业，但不代表所有人都在科技行业工作，属于过度推断。
第3题:
【选项释义】
What does Rapp say about his unconventional practices? 拉普对他的非常规做法是怎么说的？
A. They help him combat stress from work. A. 它们帮助他对抗工作中的压力。
B. They enable him to cut down living expenses. B. 它们使他能够减少生活费用。
C. They enable him to recover from injuries and illness. C. 它们使他能够从伤害和疾病中恢复。
D. They help him get three companies listed all at once. D. 它们帮助他一下子让三家公司上市。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词unconventional practices可以定位到文章第三段第二、三句“除了跑步和冷水澡，拉普还会采用冰水浴、热瑜伽，以及非常规的饮食习惯，比如不吃奶制品、糖、酒精和其他各种高碳水化合物食物。他认为，这些给他的身体带来压力的实践，实际上会减轻他的工作压力（actually make him feel less stress from work）”，说明拉普认为他的非常规做法可以帮助减轻工作的压力。因此A选项“它们帮助他对抗工作中的压力。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“它们使他能够减少生活费用。”，C选项“它们使他能够从伤害和疾病中恢复。”和D选项“它们帮助他一下子让三家公司上市。”在文中均没有提及，属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
What can be inferred from the passage about day-to-day stress? 从这篇文章中可以推断出关于日常压力的什么信息？
A. It is harmful to one’s physical and mental health. A. 它对一个人的身体和精神健康是有害的。
B. It does not differ in essence from positive stress. B. 它与积极的压力在本质上没有区别。
C. It is something everybody has to live with. C. 它是每个人都必须要面对的事情。
D. It does not help build up one’s tolerance. D. 它对建立一个人的耐受力没有帮助。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词day-to-day stress可以定位到文章第四段第二句“对他来说，日常压力和积极压力之间的区别（the difference between day-to-day stress）在于，后者（the latter）涉及将身体推向极端，迫使它建立一种耐受力（build up a tolerance）”，说明积极压力会迫使身体建立一种耐受力，而日常压力与积极压力不同，由此可推断日常压力对建立耐受力没有帮助。因此D选项“它对建立一个人的耐受力没有帮助。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“它对一个人的身体和精神健康是有害的。”和C选项“它是每个人都必须要面对的事情。”在文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
B选项“它与积极的压力在本质上没有区别。”，由the difference between day-to-day stress（日常压力和积极压力之间的区别）可知，两者是有区别的，属于反向干扰。
第5题:
【选项释义】
What do some medical professionals think of positive stress? 一些医学专家认为积极压力是什么？
A. Its true effect remains to be verified. A. 它的真正效果还有待验证。
B. Its side effect should not be ignored. B. 它的副作用不应该被忽视。
C. Its effect varies considerably from person to person. C. 它的效果因人而异，差别很大。
D. Its practitioners should not take it as a form of therapy. D. 它的实践者不应该把它作为一种治疗方式。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词medical professionals可以定位到文章最后一段最后一句“一些医学专家（medical professionals）认为，积极压力并不适合每个人（is not for everyone），它甚至可能对不健康的人或老年人构成危险（be dangerous for people who are unhealthy or older）”，说明一些医学专家认为积极压力对不同的人有不同的效果，甚至会对某些人群构成危险。因此C选项“它的效果因人而异，差别很大。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“它的真正效果还有待验证。”，B选项“它的副作用不应该被忽视。”和D选项“它的实践者不应该把它作为一种治疗方式。”在文中均没有提及，属于无中生有。
