阅读理解。
Anger is good for you, as long as you control it, according to new psychology research. A
new study from Carnegie Mellon University shows anger may help people reduce the negative
impacts of stress and help you become healthier.
"Here getting emotional is not bad for you if you look at the case of anger," said Jennifer
Lerner of Carnegie Mellon. "The more people display anger, the lower their stress responses."
Lerner studied 92 UCLA students by asking them to count back from 6,200. They must say outloud
every thirteenth number. Researchers disturbed them by asking them to count faster or ask
them other questions. If they made any mistakes, they had to restart from the very beginning.
Many students felt depressed about making so many mistakes or got angry.
Lerner used a hidden video camera and recorded all their facial expressions during the test.
The researchers describe their reactions as fear, anger and disgust.
Other researchers recorded the students' blood pressure, pulse and production of a high-stress
hormone (荷尔蒙) called cortisol. People whose faces showed more fear during the experiment had
higher blood pressure and higher levels of the hormone. Both can have lasting effects such as
diabetes (糖尿病), heart disease, depression and extra weight gain.
When people feel fear, negative impacts increase, but when they get angry, those negatives
go down, according to the study.
"Having that sense of anger leads people to actually feel some power in what otherwise is
maddening (令人发狂的) situation," Lerner said.
Lerner previously studied Americans' emotional response to the 911 terrorist attacks two
months after the incident. She found people who reacted with anger were more optimistic. These
people are healthier compared with those who were frightened during the event. So in maddening
situations, anger is not a bad thing to have. It's a healthier response than fear.
1. What is the story mainly about?
A. The findings of new psychology research.
B. What you can do with anger in certain cases.
C. Different effects produced by anger and fear.
D. Healthier responses in maddening situations.
2. What does the underlined word "both" refer to according to the passage?
A. Fear and anger.
B. Blood pressure and pulse.
C. Blood pressure and cortisol.
D. Higher blood pressure and higher levels of the hormone.
3. In what way can anger be beneficial to people?
A. By showing their optimistic side.
B. By reducing their stress.
C. By reducing high blood pressure.
D. By taking the place of fear.
4. The researchers irritated (激怒) the students by ______.
A. recording their performance secretly
B. asking them to count to 6,200 again and again
C. disturbing them and making them start all over again
D. criticizing them when they made mistakes
