Прочитай текст и выполни задания 12–18. В каждом задании запиши в поле ответа цифру 1, 2, 3 или 4, соответствующую выбранному варианту ответа.

It is what it is. Or is it?

If the Millennial generation could be summarised by a TV show, it would be Love Island: concerned largely with image, fortune and how to look good on paper (or strictly speaking, on social media). We have almost given up on trying to change the daily struggles faced by our entire generation, embodied by the phrase "it is what it is". Translated from Love Island speak, this phrase suggests the feeling of a lack of control over events in your life, a hallmark symptom of Millennial burnout. Previously considered a fad ailment embodied by lazy students, in 2020 a 'burnout' was recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a chronic condition. This is serious.

Have you ever found yourself casually lying in bed, waiting for sleep to come when an uninvited, endless to-do list formulates in your head? If this is a familiar scenario, you may be suffering from a newly-medical burnout. Defined by the WHO, burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. The physiological symptoms include headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders and even heart disease. These are akin to those of chronic (prolonged, long-lasting) stress.

In the UK alone, over 595,000 people identified as suffering with the condition in 2018. The list of burnout symptoms is, ironically, both exhaustive and exhausting. The psychological symptoms include depression and anxiety. Sufferers also exhibit emotional exhaustion from 'errand paralysis' — the feeling of always needing to be doing something more productive with your time. This ominous and overwhelming sensation has become our background noise, playing incessantly, no matter where we are.

So, who is most at risk? Idolised for providing constant emotional support to others in a high-pressure work environment, healthcare professionals are the most likely people to suffer from burnout. The overarching theme seems to show the highest correlation of burnout with people in jobs which have an unrealistic workload and long working hours, together with idealised visions of themselves stretching their own needs to fit this demand. Decreased performance at work may also result from a lack of control, driven by exhaustion and causing consequent detachment of importance from their job.

Social media is also largely to blame for Millennial burnout. When our technology is switched on, we are too. Can you even remember when you last turned your mobile phone off? The competitive drive to show our 'perfect' lives on social media means that we are always striving for the unachievable. We must remind ourselves that social media is simply not the reality. Mindfulness techniques, such as group meditation, can be used to focus our thoughts on what we do have in our daily lives rather than what we see online, thereby helping to increase our tolerance to toxic social media. It's not all bad news for social media though, as, when used with care, it is an excellent way to connect people to a support network, often by communicating with friends and family.

Stronger action in the workplace is required by better trained managers to improve staff ratios and to ensure enforcement of realistic working hours. There are, however, small and progressive individual changes we can make: alongside the essentials of eating, sleeping and exercising well, including a disciplined work–life balance, working in a job you enjoy and talking about your concerns can be extremely beneficial.

Take the time to delve deeper into understanding what works best for you, as it will be a long term investment into a much healthier future. Taking a break from social media and connecting with the real world around you is a healthy start, even if it is as simple as taking some fresh air over a lunch break. Adapting now is fundamental to preventing Gen Z from suffering as Millennials have. Most importantly, for everyone's sake, let's stop accepting that it is what it is.

12. What do we know from the first paragraph?

1)   Love Island is a popular TV show.

2)   People want to be ideal in real life.

3)   Millennial burnout has recently become an important problem.

4)   Most modern students are lazy.

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13. Millennial burnout is a state of...

1)   chronic stress that people deal with every day.

2)   chronic stress caused by a large amount of work and things to do.

3)   chronic stress because of having a lot of things and not wanting to do them.

4)   chronic stress caused by a feeling that you did something wrong.

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14. Which of the following statements about burnout is TRUE?

1)   Most people who suffer from burnout live in the UK.

2)   Among the symptoms of burnout, there are only physiological indications.

3)   People who experience burnout want to be productive in their lives.

4)   People who experience burnout want to live a full life.

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15. Who is most at risk for burnout? People who…

1)   can't accept themselves for who they are.

2)   are productive and successful at work.

3)   perform poorly at work.

4)   work as psychologists.

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16. According to the text, how does social media contribute to Millennial burnout?

1)   It makes people work more and more to get to their "ideal life".

2)   It has created another real world where people also have to act and be productive.

3)   People can't turn off social media and have to spend a lot of time there.

4)   Social media contains more information than people consume.

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17. Which of the following can NOT help to overcome Millennial burnout?

1)   Loving your work.

2)   Being friends with your colleagues.

3)   Having a hobby.

4)   Communicating with your friends.

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18. What is the main idea of the author in the last paragraph?

1)   People should not accept what is happening now as it is.

2)   Millennials should learn from Generation Z.

3)   People should work less.

4)   People should stop using social media.

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