衛生類：閱讀理解When Fear Takes
A panic attack is a sudden feeling of terror. Usually it does not last long， but it may feel like forever. The cause can be something as normally uneventful as driving over a bridge or flying in an airplane. And it can happen even if the person has driven over many bridges or flown many times before. A fast heart beat. Sweaty hands. Difficulty breathing， 2 A lighthea ded feeling. At first a person may have no idea3 what is wrong. But these can all be signs of what is known as panic disorder. 4 The first appearance usually is between the ages of 18 and 25. In some cases it develops after a tragedy， like the death of a loved one， or some other difficult situation.
In the United States， the National Institute of Mental Health5 says more than two million people are affected in any one-year period. The American Psychological Association6 says panic disorder is two times more likely in women than men. And it can last anywhere from a few months to a lifetime.
Panic attacks can be dangerous―for example， if a person is driving at the time. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the state of Maryland is so long and so high over the water， it is famous for scaring motorists. There is even a driver assistance program to help people get across. Some people who suffer a panic attack develop a phobia， a deep fear of ever repeating the activity that brought on the attack. 7
But experts say panic disorder can be treated. Doctors might suggest anti-anxiety or antidepressant medicines. Talking to a counselor could help a person learn to deal with or avoid a panic attack. There are breathing methods， for example， that might help a person calm down 8 Panic disorder is included among what mental health professionals call anxiety disorders. 9A study published last week reported a link between anxiety disorders and several physical diseases. It says these include thyroid disease， lung and stomach problems， arthritis， migraine headaches and allergic conditions. Researchers at the University of Manitoba in Canada say that in most cases the physical condition followed the anxiety disorder. Bm. they say， exactly how the two are connected remains unknown.
The report in the Archives of Internal Medicine10 came from a German health study of more than 4，000 adults.
練習：
1. All of the following may be symptoms of panic disorder EXCEPT
A sweaty hands
B difficulty breathing
C lightheaded feeling
D low blood pressure
2. How many Americans are likely to suffer panic disorder every year according to NIMH?
A 1，800，000.
B 2，500，000，
C Above 2，000，000.
D Under 2，000，000.
3. The probability for American females to be affected by panic disorder is______that for American males.
A two times as much as
B three times as much as
C three times more than
D one time more than
4. Which of the following spots is most likely to cause drivers to suffer panic disorder according to the passage author?
A The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
B The Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland.
C The Empire State Building in New York.
D The Niagara Falls in North America.
5. According to a study， all of the following diseases may be associated with anxiety disorder EXCEPT
A cancer diseases
B allergic conditions
C thyroid problems
D lung and stomach troubles
答案與題解：
1.D 第一段后半部已經列出了包括有A、B、C三個選項的各種癥狀(還包括有fast heartbeat)，就是沒有D項(低血壓)。
2.C 第二段第一句說到more than two million，C項的above與more than同義，其他各項均是錯誤的。
3.B 第二段第二句說“女人患驚恐性障礙的可能性比男人高兩倍”，也就是B項說的“是三倍”。這里涉及到英語倍數的理解和表達問題，如果形容詞或副詞用比較級就應是“比……多出(或高出)……倍”，如果是用同級比較“as…as"則是“是……的……倍”。
4.B 第三段第二句提到馬里蘭州的切薩皮克灣大橋嚇壞開車的人是出了名的，其他地方沒有提到。應該注意的是，本題所問的是most likely(“很可能”)，并不是the most likely(“最可能”).因此并不涉及四個選項所列場所進行比較的問題。
5.A 第四段中間兩句已經羅列了包括B、C、D三項在內的各個病種，但就是沒有A項的“癌癥”。