2024年3月8日发(作者：)

2022年职称英语阅读理解练习题(6)3

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, and 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 escape 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 afflict 5 to

10 persons in 100. 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 with situations 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.

Ant anxiety drugs have also been used as palliatives.

Antidepressant 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. because the things before him are really fearful.

C. even if he knows that his fear is unnecessary.

D. for he is always threatened by others.

2. All the following symptoms may be experienced by a phobic

EXCEPT

A. sweating.

B. trembling.

C. forgetting things.

D. feeling like vomiting.

3. When faced with the object or situation they are afraid of,

most phobic

A. try to stay away from the object or situation.

B. try to pick up courage and fight the object or situation.

C. go 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 use antidepressant drugs.