Beware of stress the word stress is very popular nowadays

Тест на определение уровня английского языка.

Reading & Vocabulary

Listening

Grammar

ПРОВЕРОЧНАЯ РАБОТА ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ ДЛЯ 10 КЛАССА. ЧТЕНИЕ. ПИСЬМО.

Для участия во Всероссийском конкурсе на лучшую методическую разработку.

Продолжительность выполнения работы – 45 минут

 The 10th FORM. TOPIC: STRESS

    Pre-reading tasks:

1. There are hundreds of definitions of stress but even the highest medical authorities don’t know what it really means. Give your own definition of stress.

2. What do you think are the reasons that cause stress?

3. What are the ways to avoid stress or to get rid of it, in your opinion?

    Task1

    Read the text ‘Stress and How to Cope Well With It’. Which of your ideas in the pre-reading tasks are mentioned in the text?

    Stress and How to Cope Well With It

    Nowadays many people say that they are tired of their hectic lifestyle. They work too much and stop taking breaks. They forget about everything striving for their goals and they constantly raise the bar. Very often they don’t find personal satisfaction in their work and don’t love what they do. They have no sense of personal accomplishment and self-satisfaction. Some people don’t feel content even when they achieve their goal. On the contrary, they feel disillusioned and dissatisfied. Having climbed the ladder of success they find nothing worthwhile on the top. Constant fatigue, physical and moral exhaustion, monotony and impossible pressure at work and at home can cause stress.

    Stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by people’s response to pressure from the outside world. Stress causes tension, irritability, anxiety, alarm, loss of concentration, sensations of fear and panic as well as headaches and а fast heartbeat. It can result in а real breakdown of health. Stress can even cause heart disease and cancer.

    There are a lot of stressful events in our lives, such as divorce, losing а job or having difficulties at home or at work. But changes for the better can also cause stress, like а new baby, а wedding, and а new house. Pupils and students often face stress from problems at school, poor relationships with peers, strict and demanding teachers, exams and many other problems.

    Feeling stressed many people try to find some distraction and to escape their problems. They begin overeating, smoking, drinking, and even taking drugs. But junk food, cigarettes, sleeping pills and alcohol don’t help. On the contrary, they make things much worse and more difficult to patch up.

    Stress can have а negative influence not only on our physical and mental health, but on the lives of those around us. It often makes us lose control and shout at our spouses, relatives, friends or colleagues. Taking stress out on our nearest and dearest is the easiest way to hurt their feelings and to make them feel depressed too.

    People react to stress in different ways. Some of us are more vulnerable to stress than others. People who are always angry, impatient and mistrustful may have more stress-related physical problems.

    It is very important to try to avoid stress or at least to minimize it. That’s why it is essential to notice early signs of stress and to remove some of its causes. If you catch the trouble early, the problem may be easy to fix.

    One of the best ways to cope with stress is to keep а sense of humor in difficult situations. Wise people say that laughter is the best medicine for а11 diseases. It increases blood flow and it may reduce the risk of heart disease. Besides, laughter makes the body release pleasure chemicals.

    Regular leisure activities and relaxing hobbies are also very important in reducing stress. If you feel depressed, yoga, swimming, bicycling, painting or gardening can help you relax, calm down and get а new lease on life. Anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants can be useful for dealing with short periods of acute stress. But the side effects of such medications can be rather dangerous, that ‘s why they must never be taken as often as vitamins. Besides, anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants cause addiction and may lead to suicides.

    Forget about your problems. Take а day off work, domestic chores and family. Work regular hours and don’t forget to take breaks and holidays. Don’t expect too much of yourself and don’t try to aim higher than your capacity. Have а balance in life. Walk away from stressful situations and be positive and enthusiastic. In other words ‘don’t worry, be happy.’

    Task2.

    Complete each sentence (А-Н) with one of the endings ( 1-8):

A. Stress is an emotional and physical strain caused by

В. Stress causes

С. Feeling stressed many people try to find

D. Stress often makes us

Е. People who are always angry, impatient and mistrustful

F. One of the best ways to cope with stress is

G. Regular leisure activities and relaxing hobbies

Н. Anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants can be useful for

1. some distraction and to escape their problems.

2. to keep а sense of humor in difficult situations.

3. tension, irritability, anxiety, alarm, loss of concentration, sensations of fear and panic as well as headaches and а fast heartbeat.

4. are also very important in reducing stress.

5. people’s response to pressure from the outside world.

6. lose control and shout at our spouses, relatives, friends or colleagues.

7. dealing with short periods of acute stress.

8. may have more stress-related physical problems.

    Task3.

    Answer the questions:

1) Why do many people feel stressed at work?

2) What kind of situation can be called stressful?

3) How do many people cope with stress? What mistakes do they usually make?

4) Why is stress dangerous not only to our health but to the health of those around us?

5) Why do people react to stress in different ways?

6) Why are anti-anxiety medications and anti-depressants dangerous to our health?

    Task4.

    Much can be said about the negative consequences of stress. But some people are sure that stress can be very useful. Read their opinions, choose one of them and say if you agree with it or not. Write 130-160 words; use the following plan:

— introduction;

— main part;

— conclusion;

‘Stress is inevitable. It goes hand in hand with the work we do. People don’t hire us to do easy things, they hire us to do difficult things and to think that you can remove stress from that is а fool’s errand. Isn’t this pressure why people work in the first place? I work with people who are up for the challenge, focused on being successful and pressure helps them reach their goals.’ (Steven Rolls, head of human resources at Deloitte)

‘I don’t think you should shy away from stress. It forces you to perform to live up to your full potential. I like to think that even when I am on the verge of retirement I’ll still be pushing myself. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning .’ (Charlie Bagot Jewitt , а former Royal Naval commander)

‘To live without stress would be to live in а vegetative state. It’s just not viable. Even the act of get­ ting up in the morning requires effort. For many workers it is the fact that they feel ‘driven’ that makes the job worthwhile and that once that feeling is gone, it is time for them to move on. It is this environment that allows them to produce their best work.’ (Glynis Kelly, senior lecturer in psychology and sociology at Cornwall College)

‘Spikes of stress help us to develop and survive. So view being stressed as being resilient. Resilient people see pressure as а challenge, trust that they have control and don’t see themselves as powerless. Those kinds of attitudes are at the root of any career success.’ (Dr Wolfgang Seidl, executive director of the Validium Group, which provides employee assistance programmes)

(from the article ‘I love stress’ bу Cath Janes, The Guardian)

    Task5.(additional) — Fill in the table below giving your own reasons for and against stress.

    RESULT:

Pre-reading tasks:

1. 0-5 points — depending on the meaning of the definition and its vocabulary and grammar aspects;

2. 0-5 points – depending on the number of the reasons, vocabulary and grammar aspects;

3. 0-5 points – depending on the number of the ways, vocabulary and grammar aspects;

Reading tasks:

1. 0-5 points depending on how attentive the student is in searching the coincidence.

2. Max – 8 points

3. Max – 12 points: 1-2 points for each answer

4. Total max — 10 points:

Contents – 1-3 points;

Logic – 1-2 points;

Grammar and vocabulary – 1-3 points;

Spelling and punctuation – 1-2 points;

5. Additional task – one more mark. The number of points depends on the number of ideas of “for” and “against”.

Использованная литература:

Юнева С.А. «Открывая мир с английским языком. Современные темы для обсуждения. Готовимся к ЕГЭ.»-«Интеллект-Центр», 2010

At present, you can hardly find a person who has never been under stress. There are many stressful situations these days, such as: problems at work, preparation for exams, traffic jams, relationships with other people and so on. And it is not often easy to reduce stress level.

Then what should we do to deal with stress? First of all, we should ease the tension with the help of deep breathing. It is also important not to stick in your problems and worries and to talk about them less with other people, as this will lead to a higher level of stress.

If you work hard for hours, the best way to avoid stress is to take a break.You can assure yourself that you will be absolutely free as soon as you finish and can put your break off. However, it won’t do you any good. Your exhausted body will probably become sick afterwards.

So now, when you are on a break, you may do something to relax and to take your mind off things. You may have a healthy snack, dance or do some other physical exercises, turn your favourite music on or even call a friend.

Even a 10-minute break will help you. You will see how much better you feel afterwards. A small break may give you some more energy to continue your work. Moreover, when you abstract from your work for several minutes and then get back to it again, you manage to re-examine it and make some improvements. As a result, you will have a better quality of work.

Перевод:

В настоящее время, вы едва ли сможете найти человека, который никогда бы не подвергался стрессу. На сегодняшний день существует множество стрессовых ситуаций, таких как: проблемы на работе, подготовка к экзаменам, пробки на дорогах, взаимоотношения с другими людьми и т.д. И часто нелегко снизить уровень стресса.

В таком случае, что же нам следует делать, чтобы справиться со стрессом? Прежде всего, следует снять напряжение с помощью глубокого дыхания. Также важно не «застревать» в своих проблемах и переживаниях, а также меньше говорить о них с другими людьми, так как это приводит к более высокому уровню стресса.

Если вы усердно работаете в течение нескольких часов, лучший способ избежать стресса – сделать перерыв. Вы можете убеждать себя, что будете абсолютно свободны, как только закончите и можете пока отложить отдых. Однако это не пойдет вам на пользу. Ваш изможденный организм , вероятно, заболеет после.

Поэтому теперь, когда вы на перерыве, вы можете заняться чем-то, что расслабит вас и отвлечет от дел. Вы можете перекусить чем-то полезным, потанцевать или сделать другие физические упражнения, включить любимую музыку или даже позвонить другу/подруге.

Даже десятиминутный перерыв вам поможет. Вы увидите, насколько хорошо почувствуете себя после него. Маленький перерыв может подарить вам немного дополнительной энергии для продолжения работы. Более того, когда вы отвлечетесь от работы на несколько минут, а затем вернетесь к ней снова, то вам удастся взглянуть на нее по-новому и улучшить ее. В результате, вы добьетесь лучшего качества работы. 

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Фразы и слова:

To be under stress – быть в состоянии стресса

Reduce stress level – снизить уровень стресса

To put off – отложить (на потом)

Take a break – сделать перерыв

To do good – идти на пользу

To take one’s mind off things – отвлечься от дел

To abstract from – отвлечься от чего-то

To re-examine – взглянуть по-новому

To make improvements – улучшить

What is Word Stress in English?

1.7.1  Word stress is the system of stress within an individual word. Word stress is important because English is a stress-timed language, which means that we speak with rhythm, pronouncing the stress in each content word. Each content word is broken into parts called syllables. One of the syllables in a word will have a stronger stress than the others. We pronounce the stressed syllable more loudly and with more power, while the other syllables are pronounced more quietly and with less power. Every content word in English has one strong stress. For example:

teacher             has two syllables: tea cher         Tee ch (Clear Alphabet)

The first syllable has strong stress, while the second syllable does not. It is weak.

1.7.2  Word stress is not regular in English. The positioning of word stress varies, although it is very often on the first syllable of a word, so if you need to have a guess you should choose the first syllable! This is mainly because suffixes – word endings – in English are not usually stressed. For example, a two syllable word ending with the suffix  ing  must be stressed on the first, because  ing  is never stressed:

Click here for 100 of the most common suffixes in English: most-common-suffixes-in-english

1.7.3  Suffixes can also help us to find word stress because there are many suffixes which follow a rule that the stress must be on the syllable before, for example:

These suffixes are very common, so it’s reassuring to know that the stress will always be before each one. Read and learn the full list here: suffixes-and-word-stress

There are also a number of common suffixes which are stressed. (Click here: most-common-suffixes-in-english.) They are the exception to the rule that suffixes are unstressed. For example:

1.7.4  Other rules of word stress include:

a) Compound nouns are usually stressed on the first syllable. These are words which combine two words, such as:

airport    air + port
football    foot + ball
popcorn    pop + corn
strawberry    straw + berry

There is a list of 300 common compound nouns here: common-compound-nouns.

b) Both parts of phrasal verbs are stressed, for example:

wake up
go out

c) Acronyms are usually stressed on the final syllable, for example:

BBC
DVD

d) There is a small group of words called homographs which are pairs of words with the same spelling, but different stress depending on the type of word, (whether it is a noun or a verb), for example:

Click here for a longer list of noun-verb homographs: noun-verb-homographs.

e) As we can see in the table above, it is very common for two-syllable verbs to be stressed on the second syllable.

This advice can help us to find word stress because modern English often consists mainly of:

• words of one syllable – where the word stress is obvious
• words with suffixes, which guide us because they are not stressed or follow a word stress rule
• words which are compound nouns

Click here for an analysis of a newspaper article that proves this point: working-out-word-stress.

1.7.5  Apart from the helpful guidance above, the best place to start if you want to find the stressed syllable in a word is the final syllable. In general, a word is stressed on the nearest strong syllable to the end. We must work from right to left, beginning with the final syllable, and assess whether each syllable is strong or weak. It depends on the vowel sound: a strong syllable is one with a long vowel sound (e.g. ar, ee), a diphthong (e.g. ai, ei), or a short vowel sound (e.g. a, o, but not a schwa sound). If it is strong, we have found the stressed syllable. If it is weak, we must move along until we find a strong syllable. Click here to read examples of this process: english-stress-rules.

Exercises

Ex. 1.7.1 Reading  Put the words into groups depending on how many syllables there are:

Ex. 1.7.2 Writing  Write more words on the topic of Learning English in each group:

Ex. 1.7.3 Reading  Underline the stressed syllable in each word:

1. adverb
2. article
3. beginner
4. course
5. dictionary
6. elementary
7. English
8. grammar
9. homework
10. intermediate
11. level
12. listening
13. mobile
14. noun
15. paper
16. partner
17. pen
18. pronunciation
19. qualification
20. reading

Ex. 1.7.4 Reading  Underline the suffix in each word and put the words into groups:

1. dictionary
2. reading
3. grammar
4. syllable
5. consonant
6. determiner
7. answer
8. elementary
9. listening
10. spelling
11. speaking
12. advanced
13. writing
14. tablet
15. mobile
16. example
17. beginner
18. qualification
19. student
20. level
21. computer
22. article
23. teacher
24. paragraph
25. certificate
26. intermediate
27. conjunction
28. partner
29. preposition
30. pronunciation

Ex. 1.7.5 Reading  Match the words to make 20 compound nouns:

Ex. 1.7.6 Reading  Add a word to each word to make a compound noun:

1. basket _______________
2. green _______________
3. under _______________
4. super _______________
5. land _______________
6. dust _______________
7. sales _______________
8. news _______________
9. tooth _______________
10. wind _______________
11. work _______________
12. play _______________
13. life _______________
14. ward _______________
15. paper _______________
16. milk _______________
17. every _______________
18. hair _______________
19. day _______________
20. wall       _______________

Ex. 1.7.7 Reading  Use a dictionary to help you complete the table and underline the stressed syllable(s) in each item:

Методическая разработка

по теме «Стресс»

Болтунова

Ирина Владимировна

Санкт-Петербург

2019

Методическая разработка

по теме «Стресс»

      Пояснительная записка

Представленная методическая разработка состоит из комплекса специально подобранных текстов на английском языке по теме «Стресс» и учебно-тренировочных заданий к ним.

Данная методическая разработка является результатом работы преподавателя английского языка Болтуновой И.В. Аутентичные адаптированные тексты носят информационно-обучающий характер в рамках изучаемых студентами колледжа психолого-педагогических дисциплин.

Обращение к психолого-педагогической тематике на уроках иностранного языка повышает, на наш взгляд, познавательный интерес и мотивацию студентов, показывает универсальность и прикладной характер знаний, получаемых на разных предметах, способствует развитию умения их переноса. Данная подборка предназначена для студентов всех отделений и имеет целью развитие и укрепление межпредметных связей в процессе обучения педагогике, психологии и иностранному языку через реализацию конкретных задач:

В области психологии:

-как можно более полное раскрытие самого понятия «Стресс»;

— выявление причин стресса и его последствий.

В области педагогики:

-ознакомление с различными способами борьбы со стрессом, путями предупреждения его появления.

В области иностранного языка:

-развитие языковых умений;

— овладение новой лексикой по теме «Стресс»;

— совершенствование грамматического навыка.

Методическая разработка по теме «Стресс» предназначена для студентов всех отделений.

Целью методической разработки по теме «Стресс» является познакомить студентов с самим понятием стресс, его причинами, положительными и отрицательными последствиями. Кроме того, предложить различные способы борьбы со стрессом, и все это на английском языке. Таким образом, данные дидактические материалы помогут не только углубить знания по предложенной теме, но и одновременно с этим улучшить свои знания по английскому языку.

Методическая разработка по теме «Стресс» состоят из текстов и заданий к ним, которые направлены на проверку и закрепление изучаемого материала. Можно увидеть следующие задания: подобрать синоним, вычеркнуть лишнее слово, определить слово по его определению, найти соответствующий английский эквивалент, вставить подходящие слова, соединить выражения и другие. Также здесь представлены задания, направленные на понимание текста: ответить на вопросы, определить верно высказывание или нет, завершить предложения. В конце представлен ряд заданий, которые помогут обобщить изученный материал. Данные дидактические материалы содержат ответы на все задания.

Данная методическая разработка содержит ответы ко всем заданиям. Предложенный материал может быть использован как преподавателями на занятиях, так и самими студентами самостоятельно.

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                           What Is Stress?

We generally use the word «stress» when we feel that everything seems to have become too much — we are overloaded and wonder whether we really can cope with the pressures placed upon us. Anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being is a stress. Some stresses get you going and they are good for you — without any stress at all many say our lives would be boring and would probably feel pointless. However, when the stresses undermine both our mental and physical health they are bad. In this text we will be focusing on stress that is bad for you.

Fight or flight response

The way you respond to a challenge may also be a type of stress. Part of your response to a challenge is physiological and affects your physical state. When faced with a challenge or a threat, your body activates resources to protect you — to either get away as fast as you can, or fight. If you are upstairs at home and an earthquake starts, the faster you can get yourself and your family out the more likely you are all to survive. If you need to save somebody’s life during that earthquake, by lifting a heavy weight that has fallen on them during the earthquake, you will need components in your body to be activated to give you that extra strength -that extra push. 

Our fight-or-flight response is our body’s sympathetic nervous system reacting to a stressful event. Our body produces larger quantities of the chemicals cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline, which trigger a higher heart rate, heightened muscle preparedness, sweating, and alertness — all these factors help us protect ourselves in a dangerous or challenging situation.  

Non-essential body functions slow down, such as our digestive and immune systems when we are in fight-or flight response mode. All resources can then be concentrated on rapid breathing, blood flow, alertness and muscle use. 

So, let’s recap, when we are stressed the following happens:

• Blood pressure rises
• Breathing becomes more rapid
• Digestive system slows down
• Heart rate (pulse) rises
• Immune system goes down
• Muscles become tense
• We do not sleep (heightened state of alertness)

Most of us have varying interpretations of what stress is about and what matters. Some of us focus on what happens to us, such as breaking a bone or getting a promotion, while others think more about the event itself. What really matters are our thoughts about the situations in which we find ourselves. 
          We are continually sizing up situations that confront us in life. We assess each situation, deciding whether something is a threat, how we can deal with it and what resources we can use. If we conclude that the required resources needed to effectively deal with a situation are beyond what we have available, we say that that situation is stressful — and we react with a classical stress response. On the other hand, if we decide our available resources and skills are more than enough to deal with a situation, it is not seen as stressful to us. 

Positive and Negative Stress

Signs of positive stress

1. Increased creativity: not only in making or creating things but also in developing new ways to solve problems or finding better ways of doing things.

2. Increased productivity at work and on a personal level.

3. A general feeling of wellbeing, happiness and joy. It is your birthright to lead a happy, fulfilled live during your stay here on earth.

4. An immune system that functions optimally and is able to resist illness, infections, and cancer. Even if you are surrounded by people carrying all sorts of germs, you simply will not become ill.

Warning signs of negative stress

1. Reduced productivity and creativity: nothing works the way it should. Everything is too much for you. You struggle or cannot find solution to problems. Because you are terrified of making the wrong decision, you end up not making any decision at all. You are unable to concentrate or remember things. Depression starts in much the same way.

2. A reduce feeling of wellbeing, joy and happiness: you no longer enjoy anything and don’t look forward to anything. Everything is a burden. These symptoms can be precursors of depression unless you take proper precautions in time.

3. All sort of unfortunate things happen to you. You become so preoccupied with the daily stress of living that, you are unable to focus or concentrate. This easily lead to car accidents, you drop and break things or lose them. You cannot remember anything; you cut yourself on a regular basis etc…

4. You start avoiding social contact. Shunning people for a long period is also a sign of depression. Remember that socialising is one of the basic human needs.

5. Your immune system functions poorly and suffers from colds, influenza, allergies, chronic fatigue, anxiety etc… Unless you take the necessary steps to restore your equilibrium.

6. The ageing process accelerates because of the increased metabolism associated with sustained, unmanaged stress. Free radicals and other waste products accumulate add cell activity deteriorates resulting in premature age.

Task 1.  Answer the questions

1. What happens with processes in our body when we are stressed? (at least 3)

2. Name 3 chemicals that our body produces in larger quantities when we are stressed.

3. Which body functions slows down when we are under stress? (1 word — adjective)

4. What is stress?

5. Which types of response on stressful situation do you know?

Task 2.  Find the synonym in the text.

1. frighten, intimidate

2. weight, load, onus

3. balance, poise

4. decrease, diminish

5. avoid, escape, evade

6. early, untimely, precocious

7. appropriate, due

8. oppose, fight back ,withstand

9. concern, worry

10. gladness, rejoicing, cheer

Task 3. Find the odd word. 

1. Our body produces the chemicals: cortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline, allergy.
2. Reaction to stressful events : heartbeat, sweating,  heightened muscle preparedness, increased creativity.
3.  Your immune system functions poorly and suffers from: chronic fatigue, anxiety, colds, lack of communication.
4. If you are upstairs at home and suddenly begins: earthquake, tsunami, fire, shaking hands, don’t panic.
5. If you’re in a stressful situation, you start: to sweat, to be nervous, to panic, to dance.
6. The first signs of negative stress: nothing works the way it should, you are unable to concentrate, you can not remember anything, you can easily lift the mood
7. The first signs of positive stress: increased creativity, increased productivity, a general feeling of wellbeing, a reduced feeling of wellbeing.
8. Your immune system, that functions optimally, is able to resist: diseases, infections, cancer, people.
9. All sort of unfortunate things happen to you: you can cut yourself, break things, lose things, be promoted.

Task 4.  You can see the definition of the word, guess the word (find it in the text).

1.  А system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease.
2. A hormone that is released during stressful situations.
3. A state of low mood and aversion to activity.
4. An organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions.
5. The production of a fluid consisting primarily of water as well as various dissolved solids (chiefly chlorides), that is excreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals.
6. It is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves.
7. The reactions that occur when a person’s immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment .
8. It is a steroid hormone, more specifically a glucocorticoid, produced by the zona fasciculata of the adrenal gland.
9. This disease is known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a broad group of various diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth.
10.  It is the invasion of body tissues by disease-causing microorganisms, their multiplication and the reaction of body tissues to these microorganisms and the toxins that they produce.

Task 5. Insert the corresponding expressions

precursors of depression — a sign of depression — restore your equilibrium — sustained  unmanaged stress – concentrate – infections  and cancer — solve problems

1. A reduce feeling of wellbeing, joy and happiness — these symptoms can be ………. .
2. You start avoiding social contact. Shunning people for a long period is also ………. .
3. Your immune system functions poorly and suffers from colds, influenza, allergies, chronic fatigue, anxiety etc… Unless you take the necessary steps to ………. .
4. The ageing process accelerates because of the increased metabolism associated with ………. .
5. You become so preoccupied with the daily stress of living that, you are unable to focus or ………. .
6. An immune system that functions optimally and is able to resist illness, ……….
7. Increased creativity: not only in making or creating things but also in developing new ways to ………. or finding better ways of doing things.

Task 6. True or false. (Text «Positive and Negative Stress»)

1. Positive stress enhances creativity.
2. You begin to avoid social contacts because of the stress.
3. Stress helps us to not get sick for a long time.
4. The aging process is accelerated due to stress.
5. Stress may soon lead to major depression.
6. Positive stress contributes to increased productivity.
7. In the stressful condition, you can get in an accident.
8. Due to stress, you begin to communicate more with people.
9. Thanks to the positive stress the immune system is working optimally.
10.  A person subjected to stress does not suffer from insomnia.

               The Effects of Stress

       There is a famous expression in English: «Stop the world, I want to get off!» This expression refers to a feeling of panic, or stress, that makes a person want to stop whatever they are doing, try to relax, and become calm again. ‘Stress’ means pressure or tension. It is one of the most common causes of health problems in modern life. Too much stress results in physical, emotional, and mental health problems.
                There are numerous physical effects of stress. Stress can affect the heart. It can increase the pulse rate, make the heart miss beats, and can cause high blood pressure. Stress can affect the respiratory system. It can lead to asthma. It can cause a person to breathe too fast, resulting in a loss of important carbon dioxide. Stress can affect the stomach. It can cause stomach aches and problems digesting food. These are only a few examples of the wide range of illnesses and symptoms resulting from stress.

         Emotions are also easily affected by stress. People suffering from stress often feel anxious. They may have panic attacks. They may feel tired all the time. When people are under stress, they often overreact to little problems. For example, a normally gentle parent under a lot of stress at work may yell at a child for dropping a glass of juice. Stress can make people angry, moody, or nervous.
                Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental illnesses. Depression, an extreme feeling of sadness and hopelessness, can be the result of continued and increasing stress. Alcoholism and other addictions often develop as a result of overuse of alcohol or drugs to try to relieve stress. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, are sometimes caused by stress and are often made worse by stress. If stress is allowed to continue, then one’s mental health is put at risk.
                It is obvious that stress is a serious problem. It attacks the body. It affects the emotions. Untreated, it may eventually result in mental illness. Stress has a great influence on the health and well-being of our bodies, our feelings, and our minds. So, reduce stress: stop the world and rest for a while.

Task 7. Replace the Russian word with the corresponding English equivalents.

1. (психическое) health            
2. (дыхательная) system        
3. Blood (давление)                  
4. Feel (тревогу)                      
5. (остро реагировать) to a little problems    
6. (обостренноe) feel                
7. (облегчить) stress              
8. (злоупотребление) of alcohol      
9. (длительный) stress              
10.  (влиять на) heart            

                                   Stress

They say that «Life is a big headache on a long noisy road.» This statement truly explains life nowadays. Life in the twenty first century is full of stress. From dawn to dusk, everyone has to go through a rigorous schedule. Even children are not exempt from this rush. Everyday there are deadlines to meet, reports to write, bills to pay, meetings to attend, papers to submit, etc.,.

Life is a never-ending race to most people. The everyday grind builds up stress and fatigue. Stress Reduction has become a priority with individuals as well as organizations. People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. In my opinion the best ways of reducing stress are meditation, exercise and reading books.

Meditation is an effective way to overcome stress. Meditation not only soothes the mind from tension but also regulates heartbeat and blood pressures. It helps an individual in attaining inner peace and equilibrium. Meditation helps in tapping a person’s inner potential and opens his mind to the universal spirit.

Exercise is another way to reduce stress. Exercising not only promotes health but also improves thinking. When a person exercises the muscles in the body get a workout that in turn burn fat. The burning of fat releases stored energy and the person has an exhilarating feeling. This feeling helps the person to overcome stress. Thus Exercise is very useful tool in stress reduction.

Reading also has a beneficial effect on individuals in stress. Reading a great book is very therapeutic to a person with stress. Reading helps the mind to look at other things and reduces the focus on the person’s difficulties. Elegant poetry and beautiful prose can soothe a person’s mind and help him reduce stress in his life.

In conclusion, meditation, exercise and reading are the best ways to reduce stress.

Task 8 .  Insert the corresponding words.

1. (…) is an effective way to reduce stress.

2. (…) is very therapeutic to a person with stress.

3. (…) not only promotes health but also helps to reduce stress. 

4. Meditation helps in attaining inner peace and (…).

5. Elegant (…) and beautiful (…) can soothe a person’s mind and help him reduce stress.

Task 9.  Find the synonym in the text.

1. timetable

2. peremptory day

3. internal

4. truth, verity

5. useful, helpful, valuable

6. to intimidate  грозить, запугивать

7. invalidity, invalidism

8. damage, lesion

9. follow, escort, attend

10. adviser

Tasks to the texts: Text «The effects of stress» and «Stress»

Task 10. Are these sentences True or False? 

1)  Stress can’t affect the heart. ( T / F )

1. People, suffering from stress often feel anxious. ( T / F )

3) “Stress” means pressure and relax. ( T / F )

4) Stress can cause a person to breathe too slow. ( T / F )

5) “Life is a big headache on a long noisy road” ( T / F )

6) Life is a never-ending race to most people. ( T / F )

7) Meditation isn’t an effective way to overcome stress. ( T / F )

Meditation can affect the stomach. ( T / F )

9) Exercises are also easily affected by stress. ( T / F )

10) Reading also has a beneficial effect on individuals in stress. ( T / F )

Task 11.  Vowels or consonants

1. Insert the vowels, and get the word

1. str_ss,
2. r_sp_r_t_r_,
3.  _sthm_,
4. bl__d,
5. pr_ss_r_,
6. st_m_ch,
7. m__d_,
8. m_nt_l

1. Insert consonants, and get the word

1. _e__e__io_,
2. a__o_o_i__,
3. _ay,
4. _oo__e,
5. _e_i_a_i_o_,
6. _ _ oo_,
7. _ _ _ e _ _,
8. _ u_ _

Task 12.  What is wrong? Correct the mistakes.

1) Stress can yell the heart.

2) They may has panic attacks.

3) Stress can affect moody stomach.

4) I attacks the body.

5) Life is a big headache on a long funny road.

6) Life in the nineteenth century is full of stress.

7) Even children aren’t exempt from this toys.

Meditation isn’t effective way to overcome stress.

                                 Stress causes

Too much stress isn’t good for anyone. For example, feeling a little stress about a test that’s coming up can motivate you to study hard. But stressing out too much over the test can make it hard to concentrate on the material you need to learn.

Pressures that are too intense or last too long, or troubles that are shouldered alone, can cause people to feel stress overload. Here are some of the things that can overwhelm the body’s ability to cope if they continue for a long time:

1) being bullied or exposed to violence or injury

2) relationship stress, family conflicts, or the heavy emotions that can accompany a broken heart or the death of a loved one

3) ongoing problems with schoolwork related to a learning disability or other problems, such as ADHD (usually once the problem is recognized and the person is given the right learning support the stress disappears)

4) crammed schedules, not having enough time to rest and relax, and always being on the go

Some stressful situations can be extreme and may require special attention and care. Posttraumatic stress disorder is a very strong stress reaction that can develop in people who have lived through an extremely traumatic event, such as a serious car accident, a natural disaster like an earthquake, or an assault like rape.

Some people have anxiety problems that can cause them to overreact to stress, making even small difficulties seem like crises. If a person frequently feels tense, upset, worried, or stressed, it may be a sign of anxiety. Anxiety problems usually need attention, and many people turn to professional counselors for help in overcoming them.

Task 13. Answer the questions.

1) What traumatic events can you name?

2) How may people overcome anxiety problems?

3) What can cause people to feel stress overload?

4) What are signs of anxiety problems?

5) How can you explain the term “posttraumatic stress disorder”?

6) What are the things that make people feel stress overload?

Task 14 Complete the sentences.

1) If a person frequently feels tense, upset and worried, it may be …………. .

2) …………. can cause people to overreact to stress.

3) ………….  can develop in people who have lived through an extremely traumatic event.

4) Pressures that are too intense or last too long, can cause people to …………. .

5) Relationship stress, family conflicts and heavy emotions can ………….  .

Task 15.  Insert  the right letters into the words to complete them.

1. Post_ra_matic,
2. e_rthq_ake,
3. anx_ety,
4. co_nsel_r,
5. s_hed_le,
6. pre_s_re,
7. di_abi_ity,
8. fr_q_ently.

Task 16. Match the word to make expressions.

1) ongoing                     stress                      

2) natural                       emotion

3) anxiety                      problems

4) relationship               disability

5) learning                    schedule

6) crammed                   situation

7) stressful                     disaster

heavy                        problem

                                  Stress

Every day you read in newspapers, books and magazines that it is important to avoid stress. Stress can kill, they say. Stay calm. Be relaxed. Slow down. Don’t worry so much and don’t work so hard. Unfortunately, this is difficult. There are always money problems and family problems. Our cities are full of traffic and noise. Stressful situations seem to be everywhere.

When people are under stress they react in different ways. Some people find it difficult to stay calm and often become tense. Little things, like a baby crying, can make them irritated. They get very annoyed if they have to wait just a few minutes too long in a shop or a restaurant. These people are usually very moody. One minute they are fine and the next they can be really angry – absolutely furious. Other people seem to stay calm almost all the time, and rarely get angry. For example, if they are caught in bad traffic, they don’t get frustrated. They sit calmly in their cars, telling themselves that there is nothing they can do about the situation. These people are not moody at all. They don’t change from moment to moment, but always seem to be in control of their emotions.

Some doctors give names to these two personality types: Type A and Type B people. Type A work very hard, worry a lot, and are often bad-tempered. Type  are the opposite. They don’t worry. Work’s not so important to them and they don’t get angry easily. They like to relax a lot and have fun. The doctors say it is better for your health and heart if you are a Type B person.

Task 17. Answer the questions.

1) What should you do to avoid stress?

2) Where can we get the stress?

3) What people are more prone to stress?

4) Is it necessary to control your own  emotions?

5) What advice do the doctors give for the prevention of stress?

6) Does the hard work influence the emotional state of person?

                     Dealing With Stress

We are profoundly affected by stress. Many believe that stress is one of the most destructive elements in our lives today. In reality, it is the way we react to stress that causes us pleasure or pain. The effects of stress can be positive or negative. Positive stress is a motivator for improving lifestyle and negative stress can be destructive to our health.

What is stress?

• It is the nonspecific response of the body to any demands made upon it.
• Stress can be detected by muscle tension, anxiety, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, silliness and joy.

Positive outcomes of stress include:

Mental Improvement	Emotional Improvement	Physical Improvement
Creativity	Control of life	Energy
Intellect	Mood	Stamina
Goal orientation	Relationships	Able to do anything
Motivation	Experience emotions	Body function

When stress is negative, it causes distress. How we perceive an event is what determines whether it causes negative or positive stress. For some people, public speaking is exhilarating; for others it is terrifying.

Negative outcomes of stress:

Mental effects	Physical effects	Emotional effects
Poor memory	Flushed face	irritability
Unable to concentrate	Rapid breathing	Mood swings
Low self esteem	Dry mouth	Problems sleeping
depression	High blood pressure	Overweight/underweight
Unable to make decisions	Coronary heart disease	Substance abuse
	ulcers	Ineffective use of time
	migraines

Stress and weight gain

The stress response – in a stressful situation, the brain responds by signaling the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol. Cortisol signals the release of glucose and fatty acids to the blood stream to provide energy for muscles. Chronically high cortisol levels lead to increased appetite and fat deposits in the trunk and abdomen. (fight or flight response to a trigger to be used as a “burst” of energy, ends up stored as fat when not “burned” as fuel).

Stress and eating – appetite can increase with stress; we often crave foods high in calories and low in nutrients when under stress.

Suggestion to help solve stress induced weight gain

1. Reduce stress- find a diversion or release
2. Be active- regular physical activity reduces the production of cortisol during stress
3. Be in charge – taking charge of the stressful situation reduces pressure you perceive
4. Rest- when you are sleep deprived cortisol levels increase

Our mind and body are alkaline based. The hormones secreted by stress are acid based and when we are suffering from chronic stress our PH balance is shifted and we become more acid based than alkaline based. This can lead to a multitude of health problems including struggles with weight loss. A few ways to maintain your PH balance are listed below:

Food – choose foods that are blue, green and purple (Blueberries, beet tops, broccoli, eggplant, plums, asparagus) Take Green supplements to bridge the gap.

Music— listen to relaxing music (Bach, Beethoven, Schubert)

Meditative States— Yoga, tai chi, meditation, sleep, massage, laugh, play, walk in nature

Colour Therapy – Wear and look at colours in the blue, green and violet shades

Exercise – releases endorphins that make you feel good! It’s also something you are doing with and for yourself. Time away from the stressful situation can help you to refocus.

Most importantly, do something! Stress and lack of sleep are two of the biggest contributors to weight gain and many health concerns.

How to deal with stress?

Look around  See if there really is something you can change or control in the situation	Set realistic goals for yourself  Reduce the number of events going on in your life and you may reduce the circuit overload
Remove yourself from the stressful situation  Give yourself a break if only for a few moments daily	Don’t overwhelm yourself by fretting about your entire workload. Handle each task as it comes, or selectively deal with matters in some priority
Don’t sweat the small stuff Try to prioritize a few truly important things and let the rest slide	Learn how to best relax yourself  Meditation and breathing exercises have been proven to be very effective in controlling stress. Practice clearing your mind of disturbing thoughts.
Selectively change the way you react,  but not too much at one time. Focus on one troublesome thing and manage your reactions to it/him/her	Change the way you see your situation;  Seek alternative viewpoints. Stress is a reaction to events and problems, and you can lock yourself in to one way of viewing your situation. Seek an outside perspective of the situation, compare it with yours. and perhaps lessen your reaction to these conditions.
Avoid extreme reactions; Why hate when a little dislike will do? Why generate anxiety when you can be nervous? Why rage when anger will do the job? Why be depressed when you can just be sad?	Do something for others to help get your mind off yourself
Get enough sleep Lack of rest just aggravates stress	Work off stress with physical activity, whether it’s jogging, tennis, gardening
Avoid self-medication or escape  Alcohol and drugs can mask stress. They don’t help deal with the problems	Begin to manage the effects of stress  This is a long range strategy of adapting to your situation, and the effects of stress in your life. Try to isolate and work with one «effect» at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself. for example, if you are not sleeping well, seek help on this one problem.
Try to «use» stress  If you can’t remedy, nor escape from, what is bothering you, flow with it and try to use it in a productive way	Try to be positive  Give yourself messages as to how well you can cope rather than how horrible everything is going to be. «Stress can actually help memory, provided it is short-term and not too severe. Stress causes more glucose to be delivered to the brain, which makes more energy available to neurons. This, in turn, enhances memory formation and retrieval. On the other hand, if stress is prolonged, it can impede the glucose delivery and disrupt memory.»

Task 18.  Choose Positive Outcome Of Stress

1. Poor memory       Ulcers

    Depression           Motivation

2. Mood Swings       Dry mouth

    Stamina                Irritability

3. Migraines              Creativity

    Rapid breathing      Low self esteem

4. High blood pressure             Anxiety                                  

    Improved body function       Shallow breathing

5.  Mental improvement            Problems sleeping

     Flushed face                         Ineffective use of time

Task 19.  Fill In The Gaps

1. Stress is one of the most (…) elements in our lives today.

2. When stress is negative, it causes (…). 

3. Positive stress is a (…) for improving lifestyle. 

4. Stress can be (…) by muscle tension, anxiety, shallow breathing and etc.

5. Stress is the (…) response of the body to any demands made upon it. 

Task 20.  Match two columns

1) Poor               a) abuse

2) Low               b) swings

3) Rapid             c) blood pressure

4) Dry                d) self esteem

5) Mood            e) sleeping

6) Substance      f) face

7) Problems       g) to concentrate

Flushed          h) breathing

9)  Inability        i) mouth

10) High             j) memory

Task 21.  Devide the words into two groups: positive outcome, negative outcome.
Creativity
depression
flushed face
energy
poor memory
stamina
mood
ulcers
mood swings
rapid breathing
control of life
low self esteem

                          Revision

Task 1. Answer the following questions.

1. When we are stressed what happens with our body?
2. Which signs of positive stress do you know?
3. Which signs of negative stress do you know?
4. Can you name the stress causes?
5. How can we deal with stress? (give some examples)

Task 2. True or false.
A. 

1) Stress starts from nothing.
2) When stress is negative, it causes pleasure.
3) Negative stress can be destructive to our health.
4) The effects of stress can be only negative.
5) Stress influences weight
6) Regular physical activity reduces the production of cortisol during stress
7) Yoga, sleep, relaxing music help you to fight with stress
Positive stress makes you be in sorrow

B.

1. We generally use the word “stress” when we feel that everything seems to have become too calm.
2. The expression “Stop the world, I want to get off!” refers to a feeling of euphoria.
3. Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental diseases.
4. Positive stress can be destructive to our health and negative stress is a motivator for improving lifestyle.
5. Meditation is an effective way to cope with stress.

Task 3. Match two columns to make expressions.  

When we are stressed the following happens:

a) blood pressure	1) slows down
b) breathing	2) goes down
c) digestive system	3) sleep
d) immune system	4) becomes more rapid
e) heart rate	5) rises
f) muscles	6) become tense
g) we do not	7) goes down

Task 4. Circle 9 outcomes of stress in the word square.

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ANSWERS

Task1  

Suggested answers.

1. Pulse rises, muscles become tense, immune system goes down, digestive system slows down, breathing becomes more rapid

2) Сortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline

3) Non-essential

4) Stress is anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being)

5) Fight response, flight response

Task 2   

1. terrify

2. burden

3. equilibrium

4. reduce

5. shun

6. premature

7 .proper

8 .resist

9.anxiety

10.joy

Task 3   

1. allergy
2. increased creativity
3. lack of communication
4. shaking hands
5. to dance
6. can easily lift the mood
7. a reduced feeling of wellbeing
8. people
9. be promoted

Task 4   

1. immune system
2. adrenaline
3. depression
4. nervous system
5. sweating
6. earthquake
7. allergy
8. cortisol
9. cancer
10.  infection

Task 5   

1. precursors of depression.
2. a sign of depression.
3. restore your equilibrium.
4. sustained  unmanaged stress
5. concentrate
6. infections, and cancer
7. solve problems

Task 6   

1. true
2. true
3. false
4. true
5. true
6. true
7. true
8. false
9. true
10. false

Task 7   

1)  mental health            

1. respiratory system        

3)  blood pressure

4)  feel anxious

5) overreact to a little problems    

6) extreme feeling                

7) relieve stress              

overuse of alcohol      

9) long-term stress              

10) affect heart              

Task 8 

1) meditation

2)  reading

3) exercising

4) equilibrium

5) poetry, prose

Task 9   

1. schedule

2. deadline

3. inner

4. soothe

5. benefical

6. bully

7. disability

8. injury

9. accompany

10. counselor

Task 10  

1) false

2) true

3) false

4) false

5) true

6) true

7) false

false

9) false

10) true

Task 11 

A.

1. stress,
2. respiratory,
3. asthma,
4. blood,
5. pressure,
6. stomach,
7. moody,

 mental

B.

1. depression,
2. alcoholism,
3. say,
4. soothe,
5. meditation,
6. blood,
7. stress,
8. burn

Task 12 

1) yell – affect

2) has – have

3) moody

4) I – it

5) funny – noisy

6) nineteenth – twenty first

7) toys – rush

isn’t – is

Task 13. 

1) Some of traumatic events are a car accident, a natural disaster like an earthquake, an assault like rape.

2) People may turn to professional counselors for help in overcoming anxiety problems.

3) Pressures that are too intense or last too long, troubles that are shouldered alone can cause people to feel stress overload.

4) The signs of anxiety problems are frequently feeling tense, upset, worried or stressed.

5) Posttraumatic stress disorder is a very strong stress reaction that can develop in people who lived through an extremely traumatic event.

6) The things that make people feel stress overload are being bullied or exposed to violence, relationship stress, family conflicts, the heavy emotions, ongoing problems with schoolwork, crammed schedules, not having enough time to rest and relax, always being on the go.

Task 14. 

1) a sign of anxiety problems

2) anxiety problems

3) posttraumatic stress disorder

4) feel stress overload

5) overwhelm the person’s ability to cope

Task 15. 

1. Posttraumatic,
2. earthquake,
3. anxiety, counselor,
4. schedule,
5. pressure,
6. disability,
7. frequently.

Task 16. 

1. Ongoing problems,
2. natural disaster,
3. anxiety problem,
4. relationship stress,
5. learning disability,
6. crammed schedule,
7. stressful situation,
8. heavy emotion.

Task 17  

1) You must stay calm and be relaxed.

2) We can get the stress on the work , in the family , or if we have to wait just a few minutes too long in a shop or a restaurant.

3) People who work very hard, worry a lot, and are often bad- tempered.

4) Yes, it is. We must control our emotions.

5) The doctors advice is to relax a lot and have fun.

6) The hard work influence on the emotional state of person and therefore shouldn’t work so hard.

Task 18  

1. Motivation
2.  Stamina        
3.  Creativity      
4.  Improved body function  
5.  Mental improvement  

Task 19  

1) destructive

2) distress

3) motivator

4) detected

5) nonspecific

Task 20  

1. – j)
2. – d)
3. – h)
4. – i)
5. – b)
6. – a)
7. – e)
8. – f)
9. – g)

10)– c)

Task 21   Смирнова

positive outcomes	negative outcomes.
Creativity energy stamina mood control of life	depression flushed face poor memory ulcers mood swings rapid breathing low self esteem

Revision

Task 1.

Suggested answers.

1. When we are stressed the following things happen: blood pressure rises, breathing becomes more rapid, heart rate rises, immune system goes down, muscles become tense and problems sleeping.
2. I know the following signs of positive stress: increased creativity, increased productivity at work and on a personal level, a general feeling of wellbeing, happiness and joy, an immune system that functions optimally and is able to resist illness, infections, and cancer.
3. I know some negative signs, it is reduced productivity and creativity, a reduce feeling of wellbeing, joy and happiness, all sort of unfortunate things happen to you, you start avoiding social contact, your immune system functions poorly and suffers from colds, influenza, allergies, chronic fatigue, anxiety etc…, the ageing process accelerates because of the increased metabolism associated with sustained, unmanaged stress.
4. The stress causes maybe different, for example if you are being bullied or exposed to violence or injury, relationship stress, family conflicts, or the heavy emotions that can accompany a broken heart or the death of a loved one, problems with schoolwork related to a learning disability or other problems, crammed schedules.
5. If you want to get rid of stress you should remove yourself from the stressful situation, don’t overwhelm yourself, change the way you see your situation, avoid extreme reactions, work off stress, get enough sleep and enjoy your life!

Task 2.  

A.

1. false
2. false
3. true
4. false
5. true
6. true
7. true
8. false

B.

1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. True

Task 3 .  

1. 5
2. 4
3. 1
4. 7
5. 2
6. 6
7. 3

Task 4 .  

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