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Unit 7
Emotions and Health
After-Class Reading
PASSAGE I Your Anger Can Kill You
Proper Names
Meyer Friedman
(男子名)迈耶.弗里德曼
Ray H. Rosenman
(男子名)雷.H.罗森曼
New Words
adrenalin
n. 肾上腺素
aggravate *
v. make worse 加重，加剧
e.g. National poverty was aggravated by rapid population growth.
aggression
n. violent or hostile behavior towards others 敌对的情绪或行为
e.g. Aggression is by no means a male-only trait.
assessment *
n. evaluation or opinion 评估
e.g. There has to be a clear assessment of the country's social needs.
cardiac
adj. 心脏(病)的
cardiologist
n. 心脏病学家
checkout
n. (超级市场中的) 付款处
cholesterol *
n. 胆固醇
clarify *
v. cause to become clearer and more easily understood 使(某事物)清楚易懂；澄清
e.g. Could the minister clarify the government's policy on South Africa?
clue *
n. something that helps to find the answer to a problem 线索
e.g. The police found several important clues in the dead man's bedroom.
conduct *
v. carry out 进行，实施，处理
e.g. We are conducting a survey to find out what our customers think of their local bus service.
consequence *
n. 结果，后果，影响
e.g. It's impossible to know what the consequences of such a decision would be.
coronary
adj. 冠状动脉(静脉)的
n. 冠状动脉
counsel *
v. give advice 劝告，提议
e.g. Our role is to counsel couples considering divorce.
cumulative *
adj. increasing by one addition after another 累积的
e.g. The cumulative effect of using so many chemicals on the land could be disastrous.
cynic
n. 愤世嫉俗者
cynical *
adj. like or typical of a cynic 愤世嫉俗的
diet *
n. the kind of food that someone eats each day 日常饮食
elevator *
n. 电梯
encouraging *
adj. giving one hope and confidence 令人鼓舞的
e.g. We expect business to improve this year; January's sales figures were very encouraging.
episode *
n. 一段经历，片段，插曲
evidence *
n. facts, objects, or signs that make one believe that something exists or is true 证据
e.g. Do you have any evidence that her husband is planning to leave her?
fatal *
adj. resulting in someone's death 致命的
e.g. This illness is in almost all cases fatal.
generate *
v. produce 产生
e.g. His latest film has generated a lot of excitement.
glean
v. gather (facts) in small amounts 收集(消息、资料、情报等)
heed
v. pay attention to someone's advice or warning
e.g. I should have heeded what you said.
hey
interj. 喂(用以唤起注意或表示惊讶等)
hormone
n. 荷尔蒙
inconsiderate *
adj. not thinking of other people 不替别人着想的，考虑不周的
irritation *
n. annoyance 恼怒
lane *
n. 通道
mistreat *
v. treat badly
mistrust *
n. distrust 不信任
mortality *
n. 死亡率
noticeable *
adj. worth noticing or easily noticed 明显的，易见的
e.g. The most noticeable effect of these changes is in the way people are now working together.
obviously *
adv. 显然；明白地
e.g. He's obviously in great pain.
odds *
n. the probability of something happening 可能性；机会
e.g. --I wonder why he's so late?
--The odds are that his train was delayed.
outpouring
n. an uncontrolled expression of strong feelings (强烈感情的)流露
pitch *
n. 音调
e.g. He raised his voice to an even higher pitch.
prevention *
n. the act of preventing 预防
program *
n. a set of planned activities in education or training, with a specific purpose 行动方案；工作计划
quotient
n. 商，商数
recruit *
v. find in order to employ 征募
e.g. Charities such as Oxfam are always trying to recruit volunteers to help in their work.
recurrent
adj. happening again and again 经常发生的；周期性的
refine *
v. improve (a method, plan, etc.) especially in details 改进，使变得完善
e.g. Surgical techniques are constantly being refined.
religion *
n. 宗教
substantial *
adj. large in amount or degree 可观的；重大的
e.g. That is a very substantial improvement in the present situation.
suspicion *
n. a feeling that someone is guilty of doing something wrong or dishonest 怀疑
e.g. His odd behavior aroused suspicion.
threaten *
v. 威胁；恐吓
e.g. They threatened to kill him unless he did as they asked.
tighten *
v. become tight or tighter
e.g. As he struggled, the ropes tightened even more.
toxic
adj. 有害的，有毒的
trigger *
v. cause (something bad) to start 引发，激发
e.g. Some people find that certain foods trigger their headaches.
unseen *
adj. not seen
victim *
n. someone who suffers because they are affected by a bad situation or by an illness 受害者；罹病者
e.g. Congress has agreed to provide financial aid to flood victims.
virtue *
n. 优点，长处
wisdom *
n. 智慧
Your Anger Can Kill You
For well[1] over 2000 years the world's great religions have taught the virtues of a trusting heart. Now there is another reason to heed the wisdom of the ages[2]: scientific evidence indicates that those with trusting hearts will live longer, healthier lives.
As a result of the work published in the US by two pioneering cardiologists, Meyer Friedman and Ray H. Rosenman, nearly every American is aware that Type A[3] people are impatient and easily moved to hostility and anger. Many have come to believe that Type A's are at much higher risk of suffering a heart attack or dying of coronary disease than others.
Just as the public was about to add Type A behavior to the list of cardiac risk factors—such as smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and lack of physical exercise—reports began to appear suggesting that the Type A story was not so simple.
New studies failed to find an increased risk of heart attack in all Type A's. But recent research is clarifying and refining our understanding of the problem. The good news is that not all aspects of Type A behavior are equally toxic. Recent research shows that being in a hurry appears harmful only as it aggravates one's hostility.
Now for the bad news: hostility and anger can be fatal. They not only raise the odds that you will develop coronary heart disease but may also increase your risk of suffering other life-threatening illnesses. If yours is a hostile heart, it is important that you learn to reduce your anger.[4]
The driving force behind hostility is a cynical mistrust of others. If we expect others to mistreat us, we are seldom disappointed.[5] This generates anger and leads us to respond with aggression.
The most characteristic attitude of a cynic is suspicion of the motives of people he doesn't know. Imagine you are waiting for an elevator and it stops two floors above for longer than usual. How inconsiderate!you think. If people want to carry on a conversation, why don't they get off the elevator so the rest of us can get where we're going! You have no way of knowing what is causing the delay. Yet, in a few seconds, you have drawn hostile conclusions about unseen people and their motives.
Meanwhile, your cynical mistrust is triggering an outpouring of adrenalin and other stress hormones, with noticeable physical consequences. Your voice changes to a higher pitch. The rate and depth of your breathing increases. Your heart is beating faster and harder, and the muscles of your arms and legs tighten. You feel full of energy and ready for action.
If you frequently experience these feelings, your anger quotient is too high, and you may be at increased risk of developing serious health problems. The cumulative effect of the hormones released during these anger episodes can add to the risk of coronary and other diseases.
Over time, sadly, it becomes easier for the hostile heart to express anger. Do you often show your irritation to someone you just met? This can range from the mild ("I believe you have too many items in your basket for this express checkout lane [6]") to the not-so-mild ("Hey, you can't go through this line with that many items!").
The first clue that your behavior in a situation is hostile can be gleaned from your answer to the question "What is my purpose in doing this?" If it is to punish the other person for what he has done, then you are guilty as charged.
Is it possible to reduce your hostility, to become more trusting? Research on heart-attack prevention conducted by cardiologist Meyer Friedman's group is encouraging. He and his colleagues recruited 1,013 heart-attack victims—nearly all Type A's—to participate in the study. Cardiologists counseled a group of the volunteers about their diet and exercise habits. Another group received the same counseling plus a program to reduce their Type A behavior.
Assessments after 4.5 years showed that the group receiving both cardiac and behavioral counseling had decreased its dangerous Type A behavior by a substantial degree. Those in the comparison group had done so to only a limited extent.
More important, there was a 45% reduction in the rates of mortality and recurrent heart problems among those who modified their behavior. It follows, then, that reducing anger should help prevent a first heart attack. (734 words)
Phrases and Expressions
add to
increase something 增加
e.g. The bad weather only added to our difficulties.
be about to
be going to do something very soon 即将，正要
e.g. I think he is about to leave.
carry on
continue, especially in spite of an interruption or difficulties 继续(做某事)
e.g. We can carry on our discussion after lunch.
in a hurry 匆忙
e.g. Sorry, I can't stop. I'm in a hurry.
range from... to
vary between limits 从......到
e.g. The quality of food ranges from good to excellent.
PASSAGE II How to Live to Be 100
Proper Names
Harvard University
(美国)哈佛大学
New Words
accumulate *
v. gradually get more and more 积累，聚积
e.g. I've accumulated far too many books over the last two years.
adopt *
v. take and use as one's own 采纳，采取
e.g. We've adopted a new procedure for testing reading skills.
alarm *
n. warning sound or signal 警报的声音或信号
allotment
n. a share, e.g. of money or space 份额
arise *
v. (arose, arisen) follow as a result of something 因某事物而产生、造成、引起
e.g. The company's losses this year arise entirely from the new taxes.
athlete *
n. 运动员
biological *
adj. 生物学的；与生物学有关的
cabinet *
n. 贮藏橱
category *
n. a division or class in a system for dividing objects into groups according to their nature or type 种类，类别
community *
n. people living in one place, district or country, considered as a whole 社区，社会
e.g. He's well liked by the people in the community.
cosmic *
adj. 宇宙的
daydream
v. think about something pleasant, especially when one forgets what one should be doing 做白日梦
diabetes *
n. 糖尿病
error *
n. mistake
e.g. I was guilty of making an error of judgment.
essential *
adj. necessary; most important 不可缺少的；必要的
e.g. The ability to make quick decisions is essential in this job.
excessive *
adj. greater than what is normal or necessary 过量的
e.g. The government says that local authority spending is excessive.
expectancy
n. 预料，预计，期待
e.g. life expectancy 预期寿命，平均寿命
gene *
n. 基因
heartening
adj. 振奋人心的
intensively *
adv. 加强地，集中地
jog
v. 慢跑
longevity
n. 长寿，长命
minor *
adj. 程度轻的，较小的
e.g. He made one or two minor changes to my article.
organization *
n. 系统性，条理性
permanent *
adj. lasting or intended to last for a long time or forever 永久的，长久的
e.g. Heavy drinking can cause permanent damage to the brain.
poison *
n. 毒药，毒物
possibility *
n. 可能性
e.g. We should consider the possibility that he may still be alive.
predictor *
n. 预言者
productive *
adj. achieving a lot 富有成效的
e.g. He had an amazingly productive five years in which he managed to write four novels.
quit *
v. (quit, quit) 停止(做)某事物
e.g. That was the week I quit smoking.
remind *
v. tell or cause (someone) to remember 提醒
e.g. Remind me on Friday to get more bread for the weekend.
senior *
adj. older 年长的
theorist
n. 理论家
vastly *
adv. very greatly 极大地
vigorously *
adv. 用力地；有力地；剧烈地
e.g. The dog shook itself vigorously, scattering drops of water everywhere.
How to Live to Be 100
Living until 100 isn't possible for everyone, still most of us can take steps to lengthen our lives. Here's how to vastly improve your chances of a long, happy, healthy, and productive life.
Why do we age? No one knows why our bodies seem to wear out, but most guesses fall into one of two categories. We can describe these as "wear and tear"[1] and "alarm clocks"[2]. The "wear and tear" side argues that aging reflects a lifetime of accumulated damage to cells and organs. This damage arises from natural sources like cosmic rays and minor errors in the body's chemical reactions and from self-caused choices like smoking cigarettes and eating too much fat. The "alarm clocks" side argues that the aging process is programmed into our genes. Thus aging is a scheduled event much like one's first permanent tooth.Of course everyone's biological alarm clock is set differently and there is no way of knowing when it will go off for any individual. However, both the "wear and tear" and the "alarm clocks" theorists agree on one important point: Most of us waste some of our allotment of time, and we could add 20 years to our life expectancy if we all adopted better living habits.
The best place to begin living longer is at the dinner table. Everything from cancer to heart disease to diabetes can be caused or made worse by a lifetime of bad eating habits. Eating less fat is the most important thing for most people. That is the best way to lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
Exercise is essential. Vigorous exercise can slow the aging process. One research group found that a group of intensively trained athletes aged 55 or older, men who jogged or ran as much as 50 miles a week, were as fit in many respects as were healthy 25-year-old athletes.[3]Another study shows that among 17,000 Harvard University graduates, those who exercised regularly and vigorously after graduation had death rates a quarter to a third lower than their classmates who did not exercise.
Of course, there are obvious things that people need to remind themselves of from time to time: Don't leave poisons in the medicine cabinet where "sleepy" hands can find them in the night; don't daydream while crossing the street; when driving a car, don't drive at excessive speed. People should also stop damaging their bodies with drugs, including cigarettes and too much alcohol. If they will do this, they will probably add years to their lives. Studies show that the body can often begin to reverse the ill[4] effects of such damage even in later years. It really is never too late to quit smoking or heavy drinking.
The most heartening possibilities of all for longer life have been found in the area of mental outlook. Keeping mentally active will increase one's chances of staying healthy farther into one's senior years. One study of healthy individuals whose average age was 71 indicated that the people in the group who had high goals and interests as well as a high degree of organization in their lives were the ones who lived longer. The nature of the interest was not important. It could be interest in a grandchild, in community activities, or even the success of some sports team, just as long as there was strong interest. Researchers have also found that the interests that keep older people going can be solitary as well as shared with others.
Other research studies have found that the best predictor of one's longevity is the age at which one's parents die. If they lived a long life, chances are good that their children will also.[5] Many studies have also shown that married people get sick less and live longer than those who remain single. (634 words)
Phrases and Expressions
arise from
be a result of; be caused by 因某事物而产生、造成、引起
e.g. Are there any matters arising from the last meeting?
fall into
be able to be divided into 可分为
e.g. This lecture falls naturally into three sections.
from time to time
sometimes; not very often 偶尔
e.g. They come to see us from time to time.
go off
make a sudden loud noise 突然发出响声
e.g. Then the fire alarm went off. I just grabbed my clothes and ran out.
remind...of
tell or cause (someone) to remember 使发生联想
e.g. I've forgotten his name--will you remind me of it?
take steps to do something
take action in order to achieve a desired result 采取步骤以达到某目的
e.g. The government is taking steps to control the rising crime rate.
wear out
be reduced to nothing or to a useless state by long use 耗尽
e.g. The past few days had really worn him out.
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