【1】Crystal Ear

　　One day a friend asked my wife Jill if I wanted a hearing aid. “He certainly does，” replied Jill. After hearing about a remarkable new product， Jill finally got up the nerve to ask me if I'd ever thought about getting a hearing aid. “No way，” I said. “It would make me look 20 years older. No， no，” she replied. “This is entirely different. It's Crystal Ear!”

　　Jill was right. Crystal Ear is different——not the old-styled body worn or over-the-ear aid， but an advanced personal sound system so small that it's like contacts (隐形眼镜) for your ears. And Crystal Ear is super-sensitive and powerful， too. You will hear sounds your ears have been missing for years. Crystal Ear will make speech louder， and the sound is pure and natural.

　　I couldn't believe how tiny it is. It is smaller than the tip of my little finger and it's almost invisible when worn. There are no wires， no behind-the-ear device. Put it in your ear and its ready-to-wear mold (形状) fits comfortably. Since it's not too' loud or too tight， you may even forget that you're wearing it! Use it at work or at play. And if your hearing problem is worse in certain situations， use Crystal Ear only when you need it.

　　Hearing loss， which occurs typically prior to teenage years， progresses throughout one's lifetime. Although hearing loss is now the world's number one health problem， nearly 90 percent of people suffering hearing loss choose to leave the problem untreated. For many millions， treating hearing loss in a conventional way can involve numerous office visits， expensive testing and adjustments to fit your ear. Thanks to Crystal Ear， the “sound solution” is now convenient. Almost 90 percent of people with mild hearing loss， and millions more with just a little hearing drop-off (下降)， can be dramatically helped with Crystal Ear. Moreover， its superior design is energy-efficient， so batteries can last months. Crystal Ear is now available to help these people treat their hearing loss with a small hearing amplifier (放大器)。

　　1 Initially the writer did not want to buy a hearing aid because

　　A it would make him look old.

　　B It would make him nervous.

　　C it was too expensive.

　　D it was old-styled.

　　2 Which of the following is NOT true of Crystal Ear?

　　A It is highly sensitive.

　　B It is powerful.

　　C It is invisible.Ｗww.KaＯ8.CC

　　D It is wireless.

　　3 One special feature of Crystal Ear is that

　　A you can control its volume.

　　B you needn't take it off every day.

　　C it is solar-powered.

　　D it saves power.

　　4 According to the passage， hearing loss is

　　A only a minor health problem.

　　B the world's most common health problem

　　C merely a teenage disease.

　　D an incurable disease.

　　5 Many people leave their hearing problem untreated because

　　A it is not serious.

　　B Crystal Ear is not yet available.

　　C it is not easy to have it treated.

　　D they don't want to look old.

　　【参考答案】1. A 2. C 3. D 4. B 5. C

【2】Stress at Work and Still Healthy

　　The term could yet become the word of the year： stress is on everyone's lips these days and everywhere. Not only managers， officials and teachers are complaining nowadays， housewives， children and pensioners now also have their own problems. They too sacrifice themselves for others， feel under- or overworked and quickly lose their inner balance. Irritation， tiredness and exhaustion quickly follow.-But that is only the negative aspect. Stress， after all， is also linked to positive terms such as joy of life， tension and vitality (活力)。

　　“Firstly， stress is healthy，” says Wolfgang Stehling from Eltvelle. The doctor and management consultant says： “It occurs when the body loses its inner balance， but then stress hormones are produced to re-establish the balance.” Thus stress is nothing more than a positive reaction of the body to pressure. It is unavoidable as part of our nature： “There is no such thing as a stress-free life.”

　　But whether stress leads to tensions in the mind or .to tenseness of the muscles depends on the duration (持续时间)， its cause or causes and the sufferer's personal situation. People who have trouble sleeping or suffer from bad moods or simply the flu will not be on top of the world and will take every little strife as negative stress. Others， people who feel refreshed at every new turn， are relaxed and successful， will view a difficult round of negotiations or competition at work more as a positive challenge than a cross to bear.

　　Exercise， healthy eating and relaxation are thus the three pillars by which stress can be conquered almost every time. These factors form a unit， explains Marita Voelker-Albert， spokeswoman for the government's Nutrition Advice Center in Cologne. Its campaign “Gut Drauf' (Feeling Good) is targeted at young people. The government agency's research suggests that three out of four adolescents feel tired， overtaxed (负担过重) and under stress. Eating disorders and complaints such as migraines (偏头痛) and indigestion (消化不良)， nervousness and concentration problems have increased among 12- to 16-year-olds.

　　But even the best solutions don't work if they are not put into practice， says Stehling. Anybody who goes jogging regularly， practices yoga (瑜伽功) and prescribes good literature as a cure for negative stress， may well end up under more pressure as he tries to find the time for it all. Sometimes， says the consultant， it helps to take time out to reduce stress levels over a weekend.

　　6 Which of the following is NOT a correct view on stress?

　　A Stress has both positive and negative aspects.

　　B Stress is only a positive reaction of the body to pressure.

　　C Stress is unavoidable as part of our nature.

　　D Stress only leads to serious problems.

　　7 A person who has lost his inner balance may soon feel

　　A fit and healthy.

　　B under-or overworked.Ｗww.KaＯ8.CC

　　C irritated， tired and exhausted.

　　D relaxed and happy.

　　8 Who will easily take every little strife as negative stress?

　　A Those who are in good moods.

　　B Those who suffer from the flu.

　　C Those who are successful.

　　D Those who feel refreshed at every new turn.

　　9 All the following complaints are said to have increased among children aged 12 to 16 EXPECT

　　A painful headache.

　　B indigestion.

　　C loss of memory.

　　D nervousness and concentration problems.

　　10 Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a possible cure for negative stress?

　　A Reading good literature.

　　B Practicing yoga.

　　C Working overtime.

　　D Having a healthy diet.

　　【参考答案】　6. D 7. C 8. B 9. C 10. C