What is stress?

Most people would say they know what stress is. But for scientists who study stress, it has been
surprisingly hard to define. This is because there are so many ways of looking at stress.

Some researchers have studied how our bodies react to stress. “You know how your heart beats faster,
you perspire more heavily, and your words do not come out right when you are placed in a stressful
situation”. But knowing how we feel when we experience stress does not explain it; nor does it tell us
what causes it.

Other scientists have looked at stressors: events or situations that produce stress. A deadline, a poor
test performance, or bothersome noises all may be thought of as stressors. Even pleasant events can be
stressors. Planning a party or starting a new job can be just as stressful as being called to the principal’s
office.

Stress, then, can be caused by both negative and positive events, or stressors. Of course, whether an
event is thought of as positive or negative is, in some way, a matter of personal choice.

In sum, it is the way people interpret an event that makes it stressful or not stressful. This process of
interpretation is called appraisal. Depending on how people appraise, or judge circumstances, they may
or may not consider them stressful.

What, specifically, causes people to appraise a situation as stressful? “The answer depends on how
much of a threat or challenge it appears to be” Circumstances that bring a threat or challenge to a
person’s sense of well-being produce stress. Those that do not threaten or challenge us are not
stressful.

Looking at stress this way gives us a general definition of the concept of stress. Stress is a response to
circumstances that seem threatening or challenging.

The circumstances that cause stress vary from one person to another. It all depends on how we appraise
circumstances. In addition, the things that cause us stress today may not cause us stress at another
time. And the opposite is true: things that once caused no stress may now be stressful.

Exercise 1: Decide which of the following choices is closest in meaning to the bold word in the sentence
and write down the corresponding letter.

1. Planning a party or starting a new job can be just as stressful as being called to the principal’s office.

Check answers

 A. teacher

 B. headmaster

 C. assistant
2. A deadline, a poor test performance, or bothersome noises all may be thought of as stressors.

Check answers

 A. annoying

 B. surprising

 C. continuous

3. Depending on how people appraise, or judge, circumstances, they may or may not consider them
stressful

Check answers

 A. feel about

 B. judge

 C. adapt to

4. The circumstances that cause stress vary from one person to another

Check answers

 A. differ

 B. move

 C. start

Exercise 2: Complete the summary below by choosing NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage
for each answer.

Check answers

It is hard for the scientists to define the word 5........................... because there are many ways of
looking at it. Your body reacts to stress with a fast-beating heart, heavy perspiration and so on when you
are in 6................................. 7.................................refer to events or situations that produce stress
and they may even include 8............................such as 9......................................and starting a new job.
In general, stress can be caused by both negative and positive events.

Exercise 3: Look at the following statements. Write

TRUE if the statement is true;

FALSE if the statement is false;

NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage.

10. Knowing our feelings about stress can explain what causes the stress.

11. Bothersome noises are more likely to cause stress than a poor test performance.

12. Negative events cause more stress than positive ones do.

13. Sometimes whether an event is negative or not is based on a personal decision.

14. Whether an event is considered stressful may be determined by the way people interpret it.

15. Sometimes those circumstances that are not threatening to us are also stressful.

16. An event or situation may not always be a stressor

Simply put, children are not equipped to manage life on their own. After all, children can’t earn income
and provide for 1................own economic security. They need a stable home and strong parents
2.................are committed to their well-being. Children need to 3................safe and protected to engage
in a healthy 4...............with the world.

When children feel protected, they can enjoy the magic and wonder of childhood. They won’t need to
waste energy worrying 5.....................issues that they can’t control and can engage in meaningful play
and favorite pastimes. If difficulties 6................arise, children can trust that their parents will handle
those issues as well.

While 7...................protection is important, don’t overlook the importance of family providing emotional
protection. 8...................may have concerns about finances, the health of aging family members, or the
stability of your employment. 9.................are common concerns for adults, but it’s usually best to shield
children from unnecessary burdens that they have little or no influence over. 10...............doing so, you
give them better odds of being able to shoulder the emotional burdens that are typical for their age -
keeping up with homework, 11....................new friends, and so forth.

What if a serious issue arises? While it may be necessary to involve them at some point, it should be
done in a way that is age-appropriate, and only after you have discussed the issue 12...........your
partner, spouse, or other adults. Make sure such conversations are not able to 13..........overheard by
children. Then, when it’s time to discuss the concern with them, limit the details to 14.............that
are appropriate, while answering their questions honestly. In doing so, you 15............help your children
feel secure and loved.

When serious difficulties arise, seek support from trusted friends and family to ensure you have
16................time for self-care and reflection. Taking care of 17...............is key to ensuring that you can
be a sensitive and loving parent when your children need you 18...................

II.

Many parents believe that they should begin to teach their children to read when they are (36)_____
more than toddlers. This is fine if the child shows a real interest but forcing a child could be counter-
productive if she isn’t ready. Wise parents will have a (37)_____ attitude and take the lead from their
child. What they should provide is a selection of (38) toys, books and other activities. Nowadays there is
plenty of good (39)____ available for young children, and of course, seeing plenty of books in use about
the house will also (40) ____ them to read.

Of course, books are no longer the only source of stories and information. There is also a huge range of
videos, which can be reinforce and extend the pleasure a child finds in a book and are (41)_____
valuable in helping to increase vocabulary and concentration. Television gets a bad review as far as
children are concerned, mainly because too many spend too much time watching programmes not
intended for their age (42)_____ . Too many television programmes induce an incurious,
uncritical attitude that is going to make learning much more difficult. However, (43) _____ viewing of
programmes designed for young children can be useful. Just as adults enjoy reading a book after seeing
it serialised on television, so children will pounce on books which (44) their favourite television
characters, and videos can add a new (45)____ to a story known from a book.

1. A. Scarely B.rarely C.slightly D.really

4.

5.
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7.

8.

9.

10.