2 . Alison Malmon was ending her freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania. US, when she got the news: Her older brother Brian, a student at Columbia University; was suffering from mental illness.
Inspired by this, Malmon formed a group at her university to organize students to talk openly about mental health. It soon blossomed into a national organization that today has more than 450 campus chapters. Leaders with the organization spend their time talking with college students about the pressure that today's young people face.
"What you hear often is just a need to be perfect,” said Malmon, "and a need to present oneself as perfect.” A new study in the UK proved that this need for perfectionism is simply part of today ”s society. In the study, two researchers studied more than 40,000 students from the US, Canada, and the UK. They found that what they called "socially-prescribed （社会定向型的） perfectionism” increased by a third between 1989 and 2016.
Lead researcher Thomas Curran said that while so many of today's young people try to present a perfect appearance online, social media isn't the only reason behind this trend. Instead, he said, it may be driven by competition in modern society, meaning young people can't avoid being sorted and ranked in both education and employment. That comes from new normal situation like greater numbers of college students, national examination and parenting that increasingly emphasizes success in education.
For example, in 1976, half of high school seniors expected to get a college degree of some kind. By 2008, more than 80 percent expected the same. The researchers also said changes in parenting styles over the last two decades might have had an impact. As parents feel increased pressure to raise successful children, they in turn pass their "achievement anxieties" onto their kids through "too much participation in their child's activities or emotions
Those in the mental health community like Malmon say they're concerned about the impact the culture of perfectionism has on mental health on campuses. "Mental health has truly become this generation's social justice （公正）issue," she said. “It's our job to equip them with the tools and to let people know that it's not their fault."
1. What inspired Alison Malmon to start a group related to mental health?
| A．Her brother's mental illness. | B．Her project during the freshman year. |
| C．The pressure she had experienaed. | D．Her strong interest in mental health. |
2. What may be pushing today
's young people to struggle to be perfect, according to the article?
a. The impact of social media.
b. Parents' high expectations of their children.
c. The decreasing number of college students.
d. The fierce competition in society.
e. Their desire to draw their parents' attention.
| A．a.b, c | B．a, d, e |
| C．a,b, d | D．b, c, e |
3. What does Malmon think is a way to help young people manage the pressure of perfectionism?
| A．Enabling them to know what is to blame for their pressure. |
| B．Lowering their expectations of themselves. |
| C．Reducing parents' involvement in their children's life. |
| D．Making them aware of what true social responsibility is. |
4. What is the article mainly about?
| A．A new study on college students. |
| B．Research into the trend of perfectionism. |
| C．A group devoted to helping people stay mentally healthy. |
| D．Various pressures that today's young people are facing. |
