Alarm Stage description

• A. Survival at all costs. Stressed cell or tissue diverts to all available resources.
• B. Homeostatic balance is restored during this stage.
• C. Full adaptation is achieved immediately.
• D. Metabolic rate decreases significantly.

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is the body’s immediate, rapid response to a stressor—the alarm stage of the stress response. In this stage, the body prioritizes survival by mobilizing energy and resources for quick action, pulling resources away from routine maintenance to fuel a fight-or-flight reaction. The statement about “survival at all costs” and diverting stressed tissue to all available resources captures this swift mobilization driven by adrenaline and cortisol, which raise heart rate, blood glucose, and respiration to prepare muscles and the brain for action.

The other ideas don’t fit as well: restoration of homeostasis isn’t the hallmark of the alarm stage (that disruption comes first, with balance re-established later if the stress is resolved or during subsequent stages). Full adaptation isn’t immediate—the body progresses through resistance before any long-term adaptation is achieved. And metabolic rate doesn’t decrease; it typically increases to meet the heightened energy demands.