考研英语阅读命题思路透析和真题揭秘(44)

2008年Text 1

While still catching-up to men in some spheres of modern life, women appear to be way ahead in at least one undesirable category. "Women are particularly susceptible to developing depression and anxiety disorders in response to stress compared to men," according to Dr. Yehuda, chief psychiatrist at New York's Veteran's Administration Hospital.

Studies of both animals and humans have shown that sex hormones somehow affects the stress response, causing females under stress to produce more of the trigger chemicals than do males under the same conditions. In several of the studies, when stressed-out female rats had their ovaries (the female reproductive organs) removed, their chemical responses became equal to those of the males.

Adding to a woman's increased dose of stress chemicals, are her increased "opportunities" for stress. "It's not necessarily that women don't cope as well. It's just that they have so much more to cope with," says Dr. Yehuda. "Their capacity for tolerating stress may even be greater than men's," she observes, "It's just that they're dealing with so many more things that they become worn out from it more visibly and sooner."

Dr. Yehuda notes another difference between the sexes. "I think that the kinds of things that women are exposed to tend to be in more of a chronic or repeated nature. Men go to war and are exposed to combat stress. Men are exposed to more acts of random physical violence. The kinds of interpersonal violence that women are exposed to tend to be in domestic situations, by, unfortunately, parents or other family numbers, and they tend not to be one-shot deals. The wear-and-tear that comes from these longer relationships can be quite devastating."

Adeline Alvarez married at 18 and gave birth to a son, but wad determined to finish college. "I struggled a lot to get the college degree. I was living in so much frustration that that was my escape, to go to school, and get ahead and do better." Later her marriage ended and she became a single mother. "It's the hardest thing to take care of a teenager, have a job, pay the rent, pay the car payment, and pay the debt. I lived from paycheck to paycheck."

Not everyone experiences the kinds of severe chronic stresses Alvarez describes. But most women today are coping with a lot of obligations, with few breaks, and feeling the strain. Alvarez's experience demonstrates the importance of finding ways to diffuse stress before it threatens your health and your ability to function.

22. Dr. Yehuda's research suggests that women
[A] Need extra doses of chemicals to handle stress.
[B] Have limited capacity for tolerating stress.
[C] Are more capable of avoiding stress.
[D] Are exposed to more stress.

[答案] D

[解题思路]

本题对应于文章第三段，该段第一句话指出"Adding to a woman's increased dose of stress chemicals, are her increased "opportunities" for stress"（妇女除了能够不断产生更多的化学物质外，她们受到压力的"机会"也更多），该段后面继续指出女性实际上或许更善于容忍压力，是因为面对的压力比男性要多得多，所以才容易在压力面前表现出焦虑，因此正确答案为D选项。A选项不是该段的对应信息，B选项与原文的表述相反，C选项则与原文无关。

[题目译文]

Yehuda博士的研究说明了妇女
[A] 需要额外的化学物质来应付压力
[B] 忍受压力的能力有限
[C] 更加能够避免压力
[D] 有更多的压力