Are You Sweatin' the Small Stuff?|区区小事何须烦恼?

[关于人物的英语作文]

1. You get a C on a test you thought you aced4. What to do?
a. Study that subject 4 hours a day.
b. Pat yourself on the back5!
c. Announce that you'll never get into college and hide in your room.
d. Decide to study a little more or a little differently next time.

2. You  strut6  into  classroom  sporting7 your hot new jeans. BUT! Your friend's wearing the same pair! What do you do?
a. Confront8 her. Didn't she say she was getting them in black?
b. Pretend not to notice.
c. Gasp9 with horror, give her a look, and beg permission to go home and change.
d. Laugh it off10—you always knew she had good taste!

3. The movie you want to see is sold out. You:
a. Go home—there's always room in front of the TV.
b. Go bowling11 instead.
c. Make a mini-scene12. (Foot-stomping13 and "That's so unfair!" are always justified14.)
d. Buy tickets to the later show and play video games 'til it starts.
 
4. Lunchtime! You hunger for a Coke15 all morning. Wait, what? Out of COKE? You:
a. Head straight to the school office and complain.
b. Opt16 for a Sprite17 instead.
c. Kick the machine while cursing it out18. (Hey, it might hear you!)
d. Find the person who got the last one and share.

5. Your little sister just returned your favorite T-shirt with a nasty19 ketchup20 stain21. You:
a. Tell her the replacement22 T-shirt she buys for you better be great.
b. Don't even notice.
c. Flip out23, say some nasty things, and vow24 never to let her near your closet again.
d. Realize it's only a T-shirt. No bigs25.
Mostly A's
When stress strikes, you strike back! A little tension is all you need to take action and get what you want. Sure, stress can get the best of26 you, but you manage to deal constructively—a poor grade pushes you to study even harder. Good for you for making the best of stress.


Mostly B's
Congrats27 on keeping stress-free, but realize that it's okay to get a little huffy28 once in a while. Sometimes getting a little worked up29 is all it takes to get what you want. Your sister ruined your shirt? No problem—just get creative—insist on a replacement! Problem solved.


Mostly C's
Sister, you need to chill out30! Just because it's raining and you're stranded31 without an umbrella doesn't mean the sky is falling. (Oh, wait...) Next time, think before you freak32: "Is this really worth my time and energy?" you'll find that many times it isn't. Remember when things take a nose dive33, do your best to keep your chin up!


Mostly D's
Stressing over small things just isn't worth your while. Getting into college and being a good friend are the things you'll let get to you from time to time. Props34 to you for caring about what's really important and being able to compromise35 when it isn't.


答案大多为A: 压力袭来时你予以反击。你只要感到一点点紧张就会采取行动直奔目标。是啊,压力会束缚你,但面对压力,你能有所作为——成绩不好会促使你更加努力学习。能变压力为动力,好样的!

答案大多为B: 祝贺你不为压力所动,不过请记住偶尔生生气也没什么。有时你只须发点小脾气就能心想事成。妹妹弄脏了你的衬衣?没问题——稍稍动动脑子——一定要她赔你件新的!问题不就解决了。

答案大多为C: 小妹,你需要放松!如果天在下雨而你又没带雨伞,不要以为天就要塌了。(哎,等雨停吧......)下次光火之前先想一想:“这真的值得我花时间和精力吗?”你会发现很多时候都不值得。请记住,当形势急转直下的时候,要尽力昂首挺胸!

答案大多为D: 为小事犯愁根本不值得。像上大学、做个好朋友这些事才是你时不时应该关心的问题。给你一点小建议:真正重要的事情才值得操心,小事要能想得开。


Let It All Out! 把压力全部释放出来!

        Forget babbling36 brook37 CDs and aromatherapy38. Sometimes you just need to get physical. Here are some ideas and instructions.


1. Take that annoying39 anti-stress squeeze40 ball and toss41 it at someone, preferably a sibling42. Tip: Make sure that the ball is soft and incapable43 of bodily harm. Also, ask your sibling nicely if it's okay. Try: "I really need to do this for my sanity44. Surely you don't mind?"


2. Scream at the top of your lungs while stomping up and down in heavy boots. Tip: Make sure the floors can handle the stomps and that the screaming won't irritate45 anyone too much. If possible, borrow your Dad's boots (the bigger, the heavier; the heavier, the louder!). Go to town.


3. Pull a buttercup46 and punch47, punch, punch! Tip: No, we're not promoting violence48, sillys49. Punch something soft that won't hurt you or it. How about a pillow50? Better yet, your sister's teddy bear51! (Trust us, she'll get over it.)


4. Get crafty52! Make a voodoo53 doll resembling54 someone, er, special. Tip: discreetly55 design doll and make it do rude things. Finish by ripping56 it apart—hey, it feels good and rids you of the evidence!



        不要听那些含糊不清、喋喋不休的唱片吧,也不要指望什么香味疗法,有时只需活动活动身体就够了。下面有些办法和做法可以试一试。

1. 操起那个烦心的抗压球朝某个人砸过去,最好是你兄弟姐妹。要点:球必须是软的,不会把人砸伤。同时好好地问你兄弟姐妹受得了受不了。可以这么说:“我真的需要这么做,要不我会疯的。你真不在意吧?”

2. 穿上重重的靴子来回跺脚,同时声嘶力竭地叫喊。要点:地板必须经得起你跺脚,你大声喊叫必须不至于太烦人。可能的话,把你老爸的靴子借来穿(靴子越大越重,越重跺起脚来越响!)到闹市区试试。

3. 找一朵金凤花噼里啪啦乱打一气!要点:我们不是教你使用暴力,傻瓜。你击打的东西要软,这样就不会伤着你或打坏东西。枕头怎么样?妹妹的玩具熊更好!(请相信我们,她会想通的。)

4. 耍点花招!做一个魔法娃娃,让它看上去嘛,像某个特殊人物。要点:小心设计这个娃娃,让它做些粗俗的事。最后把它拆掉 —— 嘿,真好玩儿,别人也找不到你干坏事的证据!
 

=========================

1. sweat [swet]  v. 为......担心,为......着急
2. questionnaire   n. 调查问卷
3. bump n. 波折,坎坷
4. ace [eis]  v. 在......中取胜
5. pat...on the back   鼓励

6. strut  v. 趾高气扬地走
7. sport  v. 炫耀穿戴
8. confront   v. 与……相对,勇敢地面对
9. gasp  v. 喘气
10. laugh off 对……一笑置之
11. go bowling 打保龄球
12. 此句意思是:发一顿小脾气。
13. stomp   v. 跺脚
14. justified adj. 合理的
15. Coke 可口可乐
16. opt  v. 选择
17. Sprite [sprait] 雪碧
18. ...cursing it out  ……诅咒它
19. nasty   adj. 讨厌的
20. ketchup 即catchup  番茄酱
21. stain [stein] n. 污渍
22. replacement  n. 归还
23. flip out 发疯,失控 (俚)
24. vow [vau] v. 发誓
25. 此句意思是: 没什么大不了的。
26. get the best of   战胜
27. congrat  congratulation的缩写 祝贺
28. huffy  adj. 生气的
29. be worked up  发脾气
30. chill out  放松
31. be stranded  被困
32. freak   v. 发火,动怒
33. take a nose dive  (形势)急转直下

34. props  n. 支持物,小道具
35. compromise   v. 妥协
36. babbling  adj. 胡说
37. brook [bruk]  n. 饶舌(俚)
38. aromatherapy   n. 用香料按摩
39. annoying  adj. 讨厌的,恼人的
40. squeeze   n. 挤,压
41. toss   v. 投,掷
42. sibling   n. 兄弟,姐妹
43. incapable adj. 无能力的,不能的
44. sanity  n. 神志清楚,明智
45. irritate  v. 激怒,刺激
46. buttercup   n. 金凤花
47. punch   v. 猛击
48. violence  n. 暴力
49. silly   n. (常用复数,口语)傻瓜,傻孩子
50. pillow   n. 枕头,枕垫
51. teddy bear  玩具熊
52. crafty   adj. 狡诈的,诡计多端的
53. voodoo   n. 巫术
54. resemble v. 象,类似
55. discreetly  adv. 小心地,谨慎地
56. rip [rip]  v. 撕,剥