英语听力—环球英语 1299 The ABCs of Managing Stress

 　　Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹. I’m Ryan Geertsma.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　And I’m Robin² Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　A family awakes to start the day. They have slept too long. They are late.  The mother hurries to make the morning meal. The father worries about being late for work.  What will his employer³ say? The youngest child cries. He cannot find his school work. And the oldest child worries about a test at school. Everyone in the family is experiencing feelings of pressure, or stress.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Life can be busy and full of responsibilities⁴. It does not matter where you live or who you are. Life is full of demands. These demands may come from work, school or family. The demands of life can cause feelings of mental, emotional⁵, and even physical pressure. These feelings of stress can be intense⁶.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　No one can avoid stress completely⁷. However, there are simple ways to manage stress. And these steps can improve a person’s quality of life. Today’s Spotlight is on stress and a few basic ways you can manage stress in your life.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Stress is a normal, human reaction. When you experience pressure or danger, your body produces stress chemicals. These chemicals prepare your body to either fight or run away from the danger. This reaction can save your life.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　But, too much stress can be harmful.  It can make you tired. It can make you feel easily angered. And it can even make you sick. Over time, the continual⁸ release⁹ of stress chemicals can lead to diseases¹¹ - diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease¹⁰.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　The good news is that stress can be managed in healthy ways. And the first three letters of the English alphabet- A, B, and C can help you remember four simple ways to manage stress.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The first two ways you can manage stress begin with the letter A.  First, you can ALTER¹², or change, your situation.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Imagine that Veejay lives in a small village. He is a fisherman. When he catches his fish, he has to decide where to sell them. He can sell them at the local market. Or he can sail along the coast and sell them at a larger market. He does not know which market needs fish today. If he sells his catch to a market with plenty of fish, he will not make as much money. He does not have much time to decide. The markets are only open for a few hours. Veejay is under pressure to make the best decision. How could Veejay alter the situation and reduce his stress?

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　One way Veejay could alter his situation is by using a mobile¹³ phone. He could call both the local market and other markets along the coast. He could quickly learn which market needs fish that day. Now he can make an informed decision. And he no longer has to worry or feel stressed¹⁴.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　A second way to manage stress is another “A” word. It is to AVOID stress. We cannot always avoid stress. But sometimes, it can be easier than you would think.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Imagine a young, married man and women named Cindy and Dave. They live in London, England. They both love milk in the morning. But they like different kinds. Dave likes milk fresh from the cow. Cindy likes milk from the market. They fight over which one to have. The fighting causes much stress for both of them. How could they avoid the situation and reduce their stress?

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　One way they can avoid the situation is to have both kinds of milk. They could agree to each have their own container of milk. They can reduce their stress by avoiding it. Morning can now be a happy time in their home.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　A third way to manage stress begins with the letter B - BUILD your mental, physical and spiritual¹⁵ resistance¹⁶. Building resistance will increase your ability to live with stress. And it will reduce the affect of stress on your life.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　One way to strengthen¹⁷ your mental resistance is to imagine you are in another place. Some people call this "taking a mental holiday".

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Imagine a man named Tobias.  He lives in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe. As a boy, he spent most of his time on the Praia de Macuti coast in Beira, Mozambique. Now, he works¹⁸ many long hours at his office. His job is stressful.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Tobias could reduce his stress by remembering the fun he had as a boy. He can think of the blue water and the waves rolling on to the sand. This mental trip can help Tobias calm his mind.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Building physical resistance is also important in stress management. A healthy body will reduce the effects of stress. A good night of sleep will help your body recover from a hard day. Also, eating healthy food and getting exercise will keep your body strong.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Building spiritual resistance to stress is also important. Many people believe it is helpful to pray to God in difficult times. This can build spiritual resistance and even reduce stress. The Christian¹⁹ Bible²⁰ says:

 

　　Voice 3

 

　　“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The fourth way to manage stress in your life begins with the letter C - CHANGE.  Change the way you understand or feel about a stressful situation.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Imagine that Carmelita lives in Mexico City, Mexico. Traffic problems are very common there. Traffic can stop a car for hours. Carmelita finds this very stressful. She gets very angry when she sits in traffic. How could Carmelita change the way she feels about this situation?

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Carmelita can change the way she feels by using that time in a new way.  For example, Carmelita loves stories.  So, she could start listening to recorded books in her car.  By doing something she enjoys, she can begin to look forward to traffic delays²². A traffic delay²¹ will no longer be a stressful situation. Instead, it can be a chance for her learn what happens next in her newest book.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　You can never remove all the stress and pressure of life. But the ABCs of stress management can help you reduce stress in healthy ways. The letter A can help you remember to ALTER or AVOID stress. The letter B - to BUILD your resistance. And the letter C - to CHANGE the way you feel about a stressful situation. Together, the ABCs of stress management can help you improve your quality of life!

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Do you struggle with stress? What are the causes of stress in your life?  And how do you manage it?  You can e-mail us your answers and thoughts.  Our e-mail address is radio @ radioenglish . net

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　The writer of today's programme was Ann Wilds. The producer was Mark Drenth. The voices you heard were from the United²³ States and the United Kingdom. All quotes²⁴ were adapted and voiced by Spotlight. You can find our programs on the internet at http://www.radioenglish.net This .programme is called "The ABCs of Managing Stress."

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye!

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 employer   

n.雇用方，雇主

参考例句：

• My employer deducted ten pounds from my wages this week.我的雇主从我本周的工钱中扣除了十英镑。
• His monthly salary is paid into the bank by his employer.他的月薪由雇主替他存入银行。

4 responsibilities   

责任( responsibility的名词复数 )； 职责； 责任感； 责任心

参考例句：

• the disproportion between the extra responsibilities and the small salary increase 额外的责任与小幅增加的薪金之间的不相称
• The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。

5 emotional   

adj.令人动情的；易动感情的；感情(上)的

参考例句：

• Emotional people don't stop to calculate.感情容易冲动的人做事往往不加考虑。
• This is an emotional scene in the play.这是剧中动人的一幕。

6 intense   

adj.认真的，专注的；强烈的；紧张的；热情的

参考例句：

• Susan was an intense young lady.苏珊是一个热情的年轻姑娘。
• The quarrel caused her intense unhappiness.争吵令她极其不快。

7 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

8 continual   

adj.不间断的，不停的；多次重复的，频频的

参考例句：

• I am tired of this continual rain.不停的下雨使我厌倦。
• He has continual arguments with his father.他屡次跟他父亲争论。

9 release   

vt.发布，发表，发行；释放，放开

参考例句：

• After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。
• This medicine will give you release from pain.这药吃后会解除你的疼痛。

10 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

11 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

12 alter   

vt.改变，变更；vi.改变，变样

参考例句：

• We have to alter the house into a barn.我们不得不把房子改建成谷仓。
• She is trying to alter the coat.她正设法改那件衣服。

13 mobile   

adj.可移动的，易变的，机动的；n.运动物体

参考例句：

• The old lady sits on a mobile chair every morning.那位老妇人每天上午坐在一把可携带使用的椅子上。
• She's much more mobile now that she's bought a car.自从她买了汽车后，活动量就大多了。

14 stressed   

adj.紧张的，有压力的

参考例句：

• Loud music makes me stressed out.大声的音乐让我很紧张。
• He stressed that we should always be honest.他强调我们应该永远诚实。

15 spiritual   

adj.精神上的，神圣的，崇高的，高尚的，鬼的，招魂论的&n.有关教会的事

参考例句：

• His spiritual nature is good.他心灵本质上是善良的。
• Their friendship was strictly spiritual.他们的友情完全是精神上的。

16 resistance   

n.抵抗力，反抗，反抗行动；阻力，电阻；反对；adj.抵抗的

参考例句：

• Very little resistance was put up by the enemy.敌人没怎么进行抵抗。
• An aircraft has to overcome the resistance of the air.飞机须克服空气的阻力。

17 strengthen   

vt.加强，变坚固；vi.变强，股票上涨

参考例句：

• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。
• You wish to strengthen our forces in the south?你想要加强我们在南部的势力？

18 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

19 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

20 bible   

n.《圣经》；得到权威支持的典籍

参考例句：

• According to the Bible we are all the seed of Adam.根据《圣经》所说的，我们都是亚当的后裔。
• This dictionary should be your Bible when studying English.学习英语时，这本字典应是你的主要参考书。

21 delay   

v./ n.拖延，延误，延迟，延期；耽搁

参考例句：

• The strike caused a great delay in the delivery of the mail.这次罢工严重地延误了邮件的投递。
• I couldn't judge whether the delay was good or bad.我不能断定这样延迟是好还是坏。

22 delays   

（使）耽搁，延误( delay的第三人称单数 )； 推迟； 使延期； 使延迟

参考例句：

• Commuters will face long delays on the roads today. 路远乘车上下班的人今天要在路上耽误很多时间了。
• Things were working well when we were brought up against unexpected delays. 事情本来进行得很顺利，不料我们遇到了耽搁。

23 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

24 quotes   

v.引用，援引( quote的第三人称单数 )；报价；引述；为（股票、黄金或外汇）报价

参考例句：

• He quotes a few verses from Tennyson in his paper. 他在论文中引用了英国诗人丁尼生的几行诗句。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He quotes (from) the Bible to support his beliefs. 他引用圣经来支持自己的信念。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》