Retail therapy（购物疗法）has long been considered as a good way to let off stress. Now, US scientists have discovered not only does retail therapy exist，but that it could be caused by an individual's fear of sudden death.
Researchers found materialistic people thought terrorism and war more stressful than others.
Psychologists believe the rise of materialism around the world and its treatment effect on extreme stress might be a response to fear of death caused by acts of terrorism, disease and natural disasters.
The scientists from Michigan State University said people with possession obsessions（妄想）often have lower self-esteem than others so are more likely to shop as the result of severe psychological suffering.
Ayalla Ruvio，a business professor studying people's shopping habits while rockets fell in Israel, said, When the going gets tough, the materialistic people go shopping. This stress spending is likely to produce even greater stress and lower well-being. Essentially, materialism appears to make bad events even worse.
Dr Ruvio led a two-part study of Israeli citizens living in a town that came under extreme rocket attacks for about six months in 2007. She pared 139 residents of the southern town with 170 from another town that was not under attack to see how their symptoms of post-traumatic stress and shopping habits varied. Dr Ruvio found that, when faced with a deadly threat, those who are highly materialistic suffered much higher levels of stress，while their tendency to shop was increased.
Dr Ruvio said, The relationship between materialism and stress may be more harmful than monly thought.”
The second stage of their research surveyed 855 Americans about their materialistic nature and fear of death. They found shopping was used to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety about death but this was in response to fear of a variety of life-threatening events like car accidents, criminal attacks and natural disasters.
【小题1】Which of the following opinion is NOT right according to the text?A．Terrorism is believed to easily cause the rise of materialism.B．The materialistic find terrorism and war more stressful than others.C．The scientists think possession obsessions help people get self-respect.D．The scientists think people with possession obsessions suffer a lot mentally.【小题2】Why did Dr Ruvio choose to study the two groups of Israeli citizens mentioned in the passage?A．They enjoy the special shopping culture.B．The stresses they face are usually deadly.C．They are in different situation in terms of war.D．They are usually active participants for researchers.【小题3】What's the result about Dr Ruvio's research?A．Impulsive spending does good to people's health.B．Shopping can't lower one's stress as it is expected.C．Faced with great stress, people feel hopeless for life.D．Faced with threat，people's wish to shop will decrease.【小题4】Which of the following events threaten people's life?
①Greater stress; ②Car accidents; ③Criminal attacks；. ④Natural disasters;A．①②③B．②③④C．①②④D．①③④【小题5】What's the main idea of the passage?A．Greater stress can lead to shopping.B．Greater stress can cause a lot of diseasesC．Shopping is very important in people's life.D．Can shopping reduce the stress and relieve the fear of death?C
网友回答
(答案→)C
解析：这篇文章是调查报告关于购物是否能减轻人们的压力和消除对死亡的恐惧，Dr Ruvio通过对以色列和美国的人的研究证明购物不能减轻人们的压力。
【小题1】细节题：从第四段的句子：The scientists from Michigan State University said people with possession obsessions（妄想）often have lower self-esteem 可知有拥有妄想的人自尊心会低，所以C是错的。
【小题2】细节题：从倒数第三段的句子：She pared 139 residents of the southern town with 170 from another town that was not under attack to see how their symptoms of post-trau-matic stress and shopping habits varied. 可知Dr Ruvio 选择研究两种以色列人，因为他们生活在不同的地方，选C
【小题3】细节题：从第五段的句子：This stress spending is likely to produce even greater stress and lower well-being. Essentially, material-ism appears to make bad events even worse.，，可知Dr Ruvio研究证明购物不能减轻人们的压力。选 B
【小题4】细节题：从最后一段的句子：in response to fear of a variety of life-threatening events like car acci-dents, criminal attacks and natural disasters.可知交通事故，自然灾害和罪犯的袭击会威胁人们的生活，选B
【小题5】主旨题：从第一段的句子：Now, US scientists have discovered not only does retail therapy exist，but that it could be caused by an individual's fear of sudden death.可知这篇文章讲的是购物能减轻人们的压力和消除对死亡的恐惧吗？选D