�。�44） Look to the light side. On his way to the hospital where his father was to undergo surgery， author and educator Joel Goodman shared a hotel courtesy van with the anxious relatives of several patients. The driver began telling his stressed-out passengers a few jokes. “Then he did some magic tricks that had my mother and me laughing，” Goodman says. “In that five-minute ride he taught us that humor can relieve our stress.” The surgery was successful.

　�。�45） Take a timeout. A major cause of anxiety is an overloaded schedule. It's one source of stress you can ward off by preparing ahead.

　　Say a little prayer. Psychologist and medical scientist Joan Bprysenko of Boulder， Colo.， maintains that since most people spend too much time agonizing over the past or worrying about the future， the key to lessening stress is learning how to live emotionally in the present.

　　“It helps to have some ritual to do this，” says Borysenko. For her the most relaxing ritual is “each morning when I pray”。 Prayer has been shown to reduce the impact of stress hormones such as noradrenaline and adrenaline.

　　But remember， says Borysenko， doctors can't turn on their patient' “internal healing system”。 That inner clam is up to you. So you're sick of stress， heal thyself.

　　[A] Williams counts himself among the 20 percent of adults whose susceptibility to anger is high enough to threaten their health. But everyone can try his approach to handling the stressors that set anger off—and it needn't be in a work environment.

　　[B] “Aerobic exercise is the best way to dissipate stress and make the transition into family time，” says the expert. But， he cautions， don't let exercise itself become a stress. Even moderate activity—such as a daily 30 minute walk can improve health and mood. “That's why I tell my patients to be sure to walk their dog every day，” he says with a chuckle， “even if they don't have one.”

　　[C] “My research suggests that carbohydrates raise levels of the mood-regulating brain chemical serotonin， which exerts a calming effect on the entire body，” says the M.I.T research scientist. “So symptoms of stress—such as anger， tension， irritability and inability to concentrate—are eased.”

　　[D] He tells patients to do only those tasks that would have serious consequences if left undone. “Will you die if you don't do the laundry？” he asks. Taking at least half an hour a day to do something you enjoy， he notes， lets you recharge you batteries. Especially around the holidays， skip some routine chores to make time for family and friends.

　　[E] When cardiologist Ray Rosenman was associate chief of medicine at San Francisco's Mount Zion Hospital， he would block off half an hour a day on his schedule. “If an emergency came up， I moved patients into that slot，” says Rosenman， co-author of Type A Behavior and Your Heart. “Or used that half-hour to return calls or go through my mail. You can't control everything， but you can control your schedule to create some breathing space for yourself.”

　　[F] He was so moved by his experience that he researched laughter's power. “A good laugh relaxes muscles， lowers blood pressure， suppresses stress-related hormones and enhances the immune system，” he says. In his workshops he tells clients to ask themselves how their favorite comedian would see this stressful situation.
　　Sample Four

　　Directions：

　　You are going to read a list of headings and a text about employment in Japan. Choose the most suitable heading form the list A-F for each numbered paragraph （41-45）。 The first and last paragraphs of the text are not numbered. There is one extra heading which you do not need to use. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1. （10 points）

　　[A] Women and Japanese companies��

　　[B] Why men sometimes resign form Japanese companies��

　　[C] Permanency in employment in Japan��

　　[D] The social aspect of work��

　　[E] The salary structure��

　　[F] The recruitment strategy of foreign firms��

　　Every autumn， when recruitment of new graduates and school leavers begins， major cities in Japan are flooded with students hunting for a job. Wearing suits for the first time， they run from one interview to another. The season is crucial for many students， as their whole lives may be determined during this period.

　　41��

　　In Japan， lifetime employment is commonly practiced by large companies. While people working in small companies and those working for subcontractors do not in general enjoy the advantages conferred by the large companies， there is a general expectation that employees will in fact remain more or less permanently in the same job.

　　42��

　　Wages are set according to educational background or initial field of employment， ordinary graduates being employed in administration， engineers in engineering and design departments and so on. Both promotions and wage increases tend to be tied to seniority， though some differences may arise later on as a result of ability and business performance. Wages are paid monthly， and the net sum， after the deduction of tax， is usually paid directly into a bank account. As well as salary， a bonus is usually paid twice a year.

　　43��

　　Many female graduates complain that they are not given equal training and equal opportunity in comparison to male graduates. Japanese companies generally believe that female employees will eventually leave to get married and have children. It is also true that， as well as the still-existing belief among women themselves that nothing should stand in the way of child-rearing， the extended hours of work often do not allow women to continue their careers after marriage.