Passage17恐惧症
Phobia is intense and persistent fear of a specific object,situation,or activity. Because of this intense and persistent fear,the phobic person often leads a constricted life.The anxiety is typically out of proportion to the real situation,and the victim is fully aware that the fear is irrational.
Phobic anxiety is distinguishable from other forms of anxiety only in that it occurs specifically in relation to a certain object or situation.This anxiety is characterized by physiological symptoms such as a rapid,pounding heartbeat, stomach disorders,nausea,diarrhea,frequent urination,choking feelings,flushing of the face,perspiration,tremulousness,and faintness.Some phobic people are able to confront their fears.More commonly,however,they avoid the situation or object that causes the fear—an avoidance that impairs the sufferer’s freedom.
Psychiatrists recognize three major types of phobias.Simple phobias are fears of specific objects or situations such as animals,closed spaces,and heights.The second type,agoraphobia,is fear of open,public places and situations(such as public vehicles and crowded shopping centers)from which e
scape is difficult; agoraphobics tend increasingly to avoid more situations until eventually they become housebound.Social phobias,the third type,are fears of appearing stupid or shameful in social situations.The simple phobias,especially the fear of animals, may begin in childhood and persist into adulthood.Agoraphobia characteristically begins in late adolescence or early adulthood,and social phobia is also associated
with adolescence.
Although agoraphobia is more often seen in treatment than the other types of phobia,it is not believed to be as common as simple phobia.Taken together,the phobias are believed to afflict5to10persons in100.Agoraphobia and simple phobia are more commonly diagnosed in women than in men;the distribution for social phobia is not known.Agoraphobias,social phobias,and animal phobias tend to run in families.
Behavioral techniques have proved successful in treating phobias,especially simple and social phobias.One technique,systematic desensitization,involves gradually confronting the phobic person s
ituations or objects that are increasingly close to the feared ones.Exposure therapy,another behavioral method,has recently been shown more effective.In this technique,phobic are repeatedly exposed to the feared situation or object so that they can see that no harm befalls them;the fear gradually fades.Anti-anxiety drugs have also been used as palliatives. Anti-depressant drugs have also proved successful in treating some phobias.
1.According to the passage,a phobic person has fear______.
A.because he thinks life is terrible
B.when he thinks he will lead a constricted life
C.even if he knows that his fear is unnecessary
D.when he imagines that his safety is threatened by others
2.All the following symptoms may be experienced by a phobic except______.
A.sweating
C.paralysis
D.feeling like vomiting
3.When faced with the object or situation they are afraid of,most phobic______.
< to escape from the object or situation
< to pick up courage and face the object or situation
< to their doctors so as to gain freedom
D.know that their fears are the same with other forms of anxiety
4.People suffering from agoraphobia may be afraid of______.
A.staying with dogs and cats
B.taking the bus in rush hours
C.standing on top of a high building
D.staying alone at home
5.Systematic desensitization and exposure therapy are similar ways of treating phobias______.
A.because both involve gradual exposure of phobic to fear stimuli
B.because both are behavioral methods
C.because both use anti-anxiety drugs
D.because both merely bring about a temporary solution
【答案与解析】
1.C题干部分说患惧恐症的人感到恐惧，在下面四个选项中选出与之相关的正确内容。根
据第一段最后一句话的后半句“the victim is fully aware that the fear is
irrational”，即恐惧症患者自己也知道他的害怕是没有道理的，故C项为正确答案。
2.C在第二段中，nausea与D项同义，perspiration与A项同义，tremulousness与B
项同义。C项意为“瘫痪，中风”，不是惧恐症的症状且没有对应词。故排除C项。
3.A句意为：当恐惧症患者面对所害怕的事物和位置时，他们大多数人是如何做的。根据
第二段最后一句“they avoid the situation…the sufferer’s freedom”，即最常见的情况是他们回避引起恐惧的处境或事物，这种回避减少了患者的自由，故A项为正确答案。
4.B句意为患广场惧恐症的人可能害怕什么。在第三段第三句中提到患广场惧恐症的人对
诸如公共交通工具和拥挤的购物场所的恐惧。B项符合此意。在第三段第二句中提到：单纯的恐惧症就是对动物、封闭的空间和高度之类的恐惧。A项和C项仅是恐惧症的一般表现，而不是广场惧恐症的特点，故都不对。在第三段第三句的第二分句中提到“agoraphobics tend increasingly to avoid more situations until eventually they become housebound”。故D项也不对。
5.B句意为：系统脱敏疗法和接触疗法是恐惧症的类似的方法的原因。B项正确，因faint
为在最后一段中提到这两种方法都是通过让“phobic are repeatedly…harm befalls them”来。A项不对，因为在最后一段第二句中提到系统性脱敏法是逐渐接触，而接触疗法是不断地反复地接触(第三句提到)。C、D项属干扰项，与这两种疗法无关。