英语听力精选进阶版 6456

Do you lose sleep when you are invited to parties? I do - and I wonder if I'm part of the estimated 10% of the UK's population who suffer from what's called "social anxiety".

The first clinical guideline on the subject, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence¹ last year, says the disorder² is the fear of, or anxiety about, social situations that is out of proportion.

The person who suffers from social anxiety blushes, sweats a lot, is short of breath and is focused on what he thinks are his inadequacies. In my case, I worry that people at a party might notice I'm shy and my family is from a small backward town.

The thought of having to socialise can be in the sufferer's head for months beforehand. A woman interviewed by the BBC, Heather, begins to worry about the Christmas period as early as September. She pays her share of money to the office party even if she plans not to go. Heather says: "I buy it to make sure people don't think I'm tight-fisted, or that I don't like their company."

Social anxiety can affect both men and women. And even people who appear confident and extroverted³ can have the disorder. Social anxiety recently made headlines when the star of the hit movie "Hunger Games" Jennifer Lawrence spoke⁴ about her battle with it.

Some experts recommend cognitive⁵ behavioural therapy, which treats the symptoms rather than the causes of anxiety.

My grandmother told me to put an end to this fear of not living up to expectations. She claims to have a miracle cure for social anxiety. She told me: "when you go to a party, imagine everybody there in their underwear, with their bits hanging out. Imagine we have all to go to the toilet. We all wake up in the morning with bad breath and messy hair."

Maybe my granny is right. I should be more relaxed about things and stop thinking everybody is better than me. Who knows, maybe I will realise I am better than I think.

What about you: Do you suffer from social anxiety?

Quiz 测验

1. How many people in the UK suffer from social anxiety?

It's estimated that 10% suffer from the disorder.

2. Why does Heather pay for a party she won't go to?

Because she doesn't want her colleagues to think she is tight-fisted or that she doesn't like them.

3. True or false? Actress Jennifer Lawrence suffers from the disorder, which affects mostly women.

False. The disorder can affect both men and women.

4. Who has bad breath in the morning?

According to the author's grandmother, everybody does.

5. Which expression means a movie is popular?

A 'hit' movie.

Glossary 词汇表

to lose sleep 失眠

social anxiety 社交（引起的）焦虑

clinical guideline 临床指南

a disorder （身心机能的）失调、紊乱

out of proportion 不成比例

to blush 害羞脸红

to sweat 出汗

to be short of breath 喘息急促，气喘吁吁

inadequacy 不足

shy 腼腆的，害羞的

to socialise 社交

tight-fisted 吝啬的，小气的

extroverted （性格）外向的

cognitive behavioural therapy 认知行为疗法

symptoms 症状

not living up to expectations 达不到别人的期望

1 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

2 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

3 extroverted   

a.性格外向的

参考例句：

• Do you think you are introverted or extroverted? 你认为你性格内向还是外向？
• Are you introverted or extroverted? 你个性内向还是外向？ 来自轻松英语会话---联想2000词(上)

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。