TEXT D In the 1960s, medical
researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a check- list of stressful
events. They appreciated the tricky point that any major change can be
stressful. Negative events like "serious illness of a family member" were high
on the list, but so were some positive life-changing events, like marriage. When
you take the HolmesRahe test you must remember that the score does not reflect
how you deal with stress—it only shows how much you have to deal with. And we
now know that the way you handle these events dramatically affects your chances
of staying healthy. By the early 1970s, hundreds of similar
studies had followed Holmes and Rahe. And millions of Americans who work and
live under stress worried over the reports. Somehow, the research got boiled
down to a memorable message. Women’s magazines ran headlines like "Stress causes
illness!" "If you want to stay physically and mentally healthy," the articles
said, "avoid stressful events." But such simplistic
advice is impossible to follow. Even if stressful events are dangerous
many—like the death of a loved one—are impossible to avoid. Moreover, any
warning to avoid all stressful events is a prescription for staying away from
opportunities as well as trouble. Since any change can be stressful, a person
who wanted to be completely free of stress would never marry, have a child, take
a new job or move. The notion that all stress makes you sick
also ignores a lot of what we know about people. It assumes we’re all vulnerable
and passive in the face of adversity. But what about human initiative and
creativity Many come through periods of stress with more physical and mental
vigor than they had before. We also know that a long time without change or
challenge can lead to boredom, and physical and mental strain. Why is "such simplistic advice" (Para. 3) impossible to follow
A.No one can stay on the same job for long. B.No prescription is effective in relieving stress. C.People have to get married someday. D.You could be missing opportunities as well.