Page 8 - PowerE-L05-C

Lesson 2

Stress

These days, I’m so stressed out that it makes my head
spin. Everywhere I turn, problems directly stare at my face.

A primary cause of my stress is my age. My parents keep
reminding me that I’m old enough to settle down and have

a family of my own. However, how could I do that when I

haven’t even met a guy who is interested in me as much as
I am interested in him? My biological clock is winding down
and my friends tease me about my single lifestyle. If I don’t

hook up with a Mr. Right soon, the menopause is going to get me for life.

On top of that, my job in the office is extremely demanding. Everyday, I couldn’t

help considering if it’s worth all this pain. I feel like quitting, yet I have no choice
except to stay. I don’t want to chance it in this “dog-eat-dog” job market. In fact,

worrying has become a way of life for me that I don’t even know how to relax.
Sometimes though my body isn’t busy, my mind can’t keep still. I have gotten

used to being so stressed out that a day without stress is stressful.

Comprehension

1. What is the main factor that makes the writer stressed out?
2. Why isn’t she able to get married now?
3. What does “dog-eat-dog job market” mean?

Questions

1. What gives you stress?
2. How do you deal with stress?
3. What advice can you give to handle stress effectively?
4. How is stress related to health? Explain.

Vocabulary & Expressions

menopause : the time when a woman stops menstruating, which usually occurs
around fifties
wind down : to rest and relax after a lot of hard work or excitement
tease : to make jokes and laugh at someone in order to have fun by embarrassing
them, either in a friendly way or in an unkind way
still : not moving; motionless

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