1.

1. is American her second husband?

1. I´ve __________ him since I was a little girl.    

Gavin (1) in sick to work on Monday. His boss was frustrated and said, "You (2) in sick four times this month."
Gavin replied, "I'm sorry. I (3) a cold from my son. He (4) daycare last month and he (5) sick since then. I am a good employee and last year I (6) one sick day."
Gavin's boss said, "It's true. You (7) a good employee. You (8) your work on time and you (9) the company a lot of business since you (10) working for us."
Gavin said, "Last week I (11) Tina all the projects I have been working on. She (12) she can help me. She (13) on many similar projects since she (14) hired."
Gavin boss replied, "Okay. Get lots of rest and we'll see you tomorrow."

1.

The Effects of Stress

There is a famous expression in English: "Stop the world, I want to get off!" This expression refers to a feeling of panic, or stress, that makes a person want to stop whatever they are doing, try to relax, and become calm again. 'Stress' means pressure or tension. It is one of the most common causes of health problems in modern life. Too much stress results in physical, emotional, and mental health problems.

There are numerous physical effects of stress. Stress can affect the heart. It can increase the pulse rate, make the heart miss beats, and can cause high blood pressure. Stress can affect the respiratory system. It can lead to asthma. It can cause a person to breathe too fast, resulting in a loss of important carbon dioxide. Stress can affect the stomach. It can cause stomach aches and problems digesting food. These are only a few examples of the wide range of illnesses and symptoms resulting from stress.

Emotions are also easily affected by stress. People suffering from stress often feel anxious. They may have panic attacks. They may feel tired all the time. When people are under stress, they often overreact to little problems. For example, a normally gentle parent under a lot of stress at work may yell at a child for dropping a glass of juice. Stress can make people angry, moody, or nervous.

Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental illnesses. Depression, an extreme feeling of sadness and hopelessness, can be the result of continued and increasing stress. Alcoholism and other addictions often develop as a result of overuse of alcohol or drugs to try to relieve stress. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, are sometimes caused by stress and are often made worse by stress. If stress is allowed to continue, then one's mental health is put at risk.

It is obvious that stress is a serious problem. It attacks the body. It affects the emotions. Untreated, it may eventually result in mental illness. Stress has a great influence on the health and well-being of our bodies, our feelings, and our minds. So, reduce stress: stop the world and rest for a while.


Questions (sometimes more than one answer is possible)

1. Which of the following is not a common problem caused by stress?

1. Stress can affect the stomach

You represent a coffee company. On a recent sales trip to England, you made contact with a potential customer: Mrs Suzanne Darcy, the buyer in a major retail chain. You discussed the possibility of supplying coffee to the chain, although nothing was agreed. Now you want to build on the relationship in the hope of closing the deal.
Write a polite but friendly email to Mrs Darcy. Stress the quality of your product and the reliability of your service. Offer to show her round your production facility if she would like to visit you in your country. Offer to cover her expenses during her stay. End with the hope that you will be able to do business with her.

(Your email should be around 100 words.)