Since we are social being, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human condition is our tendency to give and receive support from one another under stressful circumstances. (82)Social support consists of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties. Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to cope with major life changes and daily hassles (困难). People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over a range of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, reveal that the presence of social support helps people fend off (挡开) illness, and absence of such support makes poor health more likely.
Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives, and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others despite our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Engaging in leisure-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting (转移…注意力) us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give instrumental support——financial aid, material resources, and needed services——that reduce stress by helping us resolve and cope with problems.
76. Interpersonal relationships are important because _______.( )
A.they can cure a range of illnesses such as heart disease, etc.
B.they help people to cope with life in the information era
C.they awaken people’s desire to exchange resources
D.they are indispensable to people’s social well-being
77. Research shows that people’s physical and mental health_______.( )
A.depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles
B.relies on the social welfare systems which support them
C.has much to do with the amount of support they get from others
D.is closely related to their strength for coping with major changes in their lives
78. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “cushions” (Line 1, Para. 2)?( )
A.lays the foundation of B.lessens the effect of
C.adds to D.does away with
79. Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work is an example of_______.( )
A.informational support B.social companionship
C.instrumental support D.the strengthening of self-respect
80. Social companionship is beneficial in that_______.( )
A.it helps strengthen our ties with relatives
B.it makes our leisure-time activities more enjoyable
C.it enables us to eliminate our faults and mistakes
D.it draws our attention away from our worries and troubles
Part IV Translation (15%)
Directions A: Translate the two underlined sentences in Passage Three and Passage Four into Chinese.
81.(Passage Three)
82.(Passage Four)
Directions B: Translate the following into English.
83. 她很感激的是她保住了自己的工作而大多数工友都下了岗。
84. 有人说对于不公正的批评的最好反应是原谅和忘却。
85. 公司正在寻找扩大市场的新办法， 不过它的竞争对手也在竭尽全力扩大市场份额。
Part V Writing (15%)
Directions: Write a letter to welcome a friend to visit your family.
