Question

Everyone may all have the experience of feeling anxious and stressed when having a rough day or having some troubles. Different people may choose different ways to deal with it, and for most people a break for a 10-minute walk may be quite useful.www.zxxk.com

Anyway, here is another way around: to get a piece of chewing gum, and chew it. According to a Swinburne University of Technology study, gum-chewing has been found to “relieve anxiety, improve alertness(機敏性) and reduce stress among individuals in a laboratory setting.”

Some may argue that a laboratory is not the same as an office. But check out the conditions of the study: individuals were monitored while performing “a group of ‘multi-tasking’ activities.” Doesn’t it sound like the situation in the office?www.zxxk.com

Here’s a summary of some of the study’s findings:

Gum chewers showed a reduction in anxiety as compared to non-gum chewers by nearly 17 percent during mild stress and nearly 10 percent in appropriate stress.

Gum chewers showed improvement in alertness over non-gum chewers by nearly 19 percent during mild stress and 8 percent in moderate stress.

Improved Performance: Chewing gum resulted in a big improvement in overall performance on multi-tasking activities.

Although these aren’t major improvements, every little bit works and chewing a piece of gum is a lot quicker and easier than slipping outside for a 10-minute walk. So, how does gum work this magic? In part it does so by lowering the level of cortisol(皮質醇)—a steroid(類固醇) hormone that is released in response to stress in your system.

A few words of advice before you reach for the gum: don’t crack your gum, and be sure to chew it with your mouth closed. In fact, I’d say keep the gum out of meetings, because it really looks impolite to others around you.

1.From the study in the text we know that_________________.

A. gum chewers may lack alertness

B. gum chewers tend to be less stressed

C. gum chewers can finish many jobs perfectly

D. gum chewers can reduce their anxiety and anger easily

2.How does gum work to reduce stress according to the text?

A. It works by improving alertness.

B. It works by allowing a 10-minute walk.

C. It works by reducing one’s level of cortisol.

D. It works by being chewed in a laboratory setting.

3.Which one may the author probably agree with?

A. People should chew gum with their mouths closed in a meeting.

B. It is impolite to chew gum in a meeting with people around you.

C. People can crack gum freely when meeting friends.

D. People should be careful when chewing gum at home.

4.What does the text mainly talk about?

A. How to chew gum.                                              B. How to relieve stress.

C. Why people love chewing gum.                       D. Chewing gum can relieve stress.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

 

1.B

2.C

3.B

4.D

【解析】

試題分析  本文是說明文。每個人都有感覺壓力的時候，減壓有很多方法，現在流行咀嚼口香糖，以及引發的一些問題。

1.B 細節題。根據對全文的理解，口香糖可以用來減少壓力。故選B項。

2.C 細節題。根據倒數第二段So, how does gum work this magic? In part it does so by lowering the level of cortisol(皮質醇)—a steroid(類固醇) hormone that is released in response to stress in your system.得出應選 C項。

3.B 細節題。根據最后一段don’t crack your gum, and be sure to chew it with your mouth closed. In fact, I’d say keep the gum out of meetings, because it really looks impolite to others around you.，應選 B項。用排除法來做此類的題。

4.D 主旨大意。本文主要講吃口香糖可以減輕壓力，故選 D項。