When Fear Takes Over|当恐惧笼罩人心

When Fear Takes Over

by Daniel Howard

Fear is a natural part of life that can protect us, but when it gets out of hand, it can be a serious problem.

　　There are many scary things out there. Some are dangerous and may hurt people, but fear helps us _(1)_ this and survive. Poisonous snakes, vicious dogs, and strangers in dark alleys are all potential _(2)_. For people with phobias, however, sometimes fear takes on a whole new meaning.

　　A phobia is a condition in which someone suffers from an intense fear of an object, animal, or situation. With phobias, the fear is almost always more intense than the actual danger presented. For example, someone with acrophobia, which is a fear of heights, will be afraid of any high place, regardless of the safety measures taken. To be diagnosed _(3)_ a phobia, a person needs to be suffering from such an intense fear that it interferes with his or her life. Examples of this include _(4)_ certain situations because of a frightening object or the chance of that object appearing. Someone with arachnophobia（蜘蛛恐惧症） might not go hiking for fear of running into a spider. Some people will have panic attacks just thinking about their fears.

　　For people with severe phobias, the only _(5)_ option is to see a psychologist or therapist. There are various coping methods and cures that help with phobias, but every person's case is _(6)_. Most treatments for phobias include desensitization. By _(7)_ exposing a patient to the fear slowly and in safe conditions, a therapist can retrain the patient's brain. This is often extremely unpleasant, but it also helps them overcome their fears and live normal lives, so it is definitely worthwhile.

1. (A) recognized (B) recognizes (C) recognize (D) recognizing

2. (A) riddles (B) threats (C) rumors (D) portraits

3. (A) with (B) about (C) over (D) for

4. (A) avoid (B) to avoid (C) avoided (D) avoiding

5. (A) furious (B) ignorant (C) mutual (D) reasonable

6. (A) unique (B) organic (C) reputable (D) generous

7. (A) informally (B) repeatedly (C) passively (D) falsely

 

当恐惧笼罩人心

恐惧是生活中很自然的一部份，可以保护我们，但当它失去控制时就可能会变成相当严重的问题。

　　外头有许多可怕的事物。有些相当危险也可能会伤及人类，但是恐惧能够帮助我们认识这项事物并存活下来。毒蛇、恶犬以及暗巷中的陌生人都是潜在的威胁。然而，对于患有恐惧症的人而言，恐惧有时代表了全新的意义。

　　恐惧症是指某人因为某种物体、动物或情况而饱受强烈恐惧感折磨的情况。一旦有了恐惧症，那股畏惧几乎总是比实际上所呈现的危险更为强烈。举例来说，有惧高症的人，也就是害怕高度的人，他会害怕任何高的地方，无论采用任何安全措施都没有用。要被诊断有恐惧症，某人必须要深受某种极度的恐惧所苦，而这种恐惧已干扰了他（她）的生活。这样的例子包括因为一种可怕的物体或那个物体有可能出现而回避某种特定情况。患有蜘蛛恐惧症的人可能会因为害怕碰到蜘蛛而不去登山。有些人只要想到他们所害怕的东西恐慌的情形就会发作。

　　对于患有严重恐惧症的人而言，唯一合理的选择就是咨询心理医生或治疗师。有各种能够帮助对付恐惧症的处理方法和疗方，但每个人的情况都相当独特。大多数恐惧症的治疗包括去敏感法。藉由在缓慢且符合安全的条件下将病人重复地暴露于恐惧之下，治疗师能够重新训练病人的脑袋。这种训练经常极度不愉快，但却也能够帮助他们克服恐惧并过着正常的人生，因此绝对是相当值得的。

答案： 1. C 2. B 3. A 4. D 5. D

6. A 7. B