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Learn and Talk III

Trial Lesson 2

Handle The Stress of

College Life

1
Preview
Words
1. excel /ɪkˈsel/ [verb]
to be extremely good at something

2. inhibit /ɪnˈhɪbɪt/ [verb]

to make somebody nervous or embarrassed so that they are unable
to do something
3. discriminate /dɪˈskrɪmɪneɪt/ [verb] Expressions
to recognize that there is a difference between people or things

4. unchecked /ˌʌnˈtʃekt/ [adjective]

if something harmful is unchecked, it is not controlled or stopped from stressed out
getting worse
line up
5. hormone /ˈhɔːməʊn/ [noun]
a chemical substance produced in the body that encourages growth or
influences how the cells and tissues function a cascade of

2019/3/12 2 2
Article For parents who send their kids off to college
saying, “These will be the best years of your life,” it
would be very appropriate to add, “If you can handle
the stress of college life.”

Freshmen are showing up already

stressed out, according to the latest CIRP Freshman
Survey that reported students' emotional health levels
at their lowest since the survey started in 1985. While
in school, more students are working part-time and
near-full-time jobs. At graduation, only 29% of seniors
have jobs lined up. Pressure to excel often creates
What does the sentence
stress, and many students are not learning how to
in yellow mean?
Try to paraphrase it. effectively handle this stress.
3
Stress can make smart people do stupid things: Stress causes
what brain researchers call “cortical inhibition.” In simple terms,
stress inhibits a part of the brain responsible for decision-making and
reaction time, and can affect other mental abilities as well.
What does the phrase
“cortical inhibition” mean?
The human body doesn't discriminate between a big stressful Explain in your own words.
event and a little one: Any stressful experience will create a cascade of
1,400 biochemical events in your body. If any amount of stress is left
unchecked, many things can occur within the body.

High stress can become dangerous because you are constantly

flooding your system with cortisol — the stress hormone. It also
increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, suppresses the
digestive system and even your growth processes.

4
Discussion
1. According to the article, how does stress affect our
brains and bodies? Explain in your own words.

2. Do you think years in college are “the best years of your

life”? Why or why not? Do (or Did) you feel stressed out
in college? What is (was) the biggest source of stress for
you in college?

3. Stress is bad for our health - both physically and

mentally. How do you think people can handle stress?
Can you give some suggestions to freshmen for dealing
with stress?

5
 © Acadsoc Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Learn and Talk III

Trial Lesson 2

See you next lesson!