Question

Choosing the Right Resolution (決定)

Millions of Americans began 2014 with the same resolution they started 2013 with, a goal of losing weight. However, setting weight loss as a goal is a mistake.

To reach our goal of losing weight --- the output, we need to control what we eat --- the input ( 輸入). That is, we tend to care about the output but not to control the input. This is a bad way to construce goals. The alternative is to focus your resolution on the input. Instead of resolving to lose weight, try an actionable resolution: “I’ll stop having desert for lunch,” or “I’ll walk every day for 20 minutes.” Creating a goal that focuses on a well-specified input will likely be more effective than concentrating on the outcome.

Recently a new science behind incentives (激勵(lì)) , including in education, has been discussed. For example, researcher Roland Fryer wanted to see what works best in motivating children to do better in school. In some cases, he gave students incentives based on input, like reading certain books, while in others, the incentives were based on output, like results on exams. His main finding was that incentives increased achievement when based on input but had no effect on output. Fryer’s conclusion was that the intensives for inputs might be more effective because do not knoe how to do better on exam, aside from general rules like “study harder.” Reading certain books, on the other hand, is a well-set task over which they have much more control.

As long as you have direct control over your goal, you have a much higher chance of success. And it’s easier to start again if you fail, because you know exactly what you need to do.

If you want to cut down on your spending, a good goal would be making morning coffee at home instead of going to a cafe, for example. This is a well-specified action-based goal for which you can measure your success easily. Spending less money isn’t a goal because it’s too general. Similarly, if you want to spend more time with your family, don’t stop with this general wish. Think about an actionable habit that you could adopt and stick to, like a family movie night every Wednesday.

In the long run, these new goals could become a habit.

1.The writer thinks that setting weight loss as a goal is a mistake because _______ .

A. it is hard to achieve for most Americans

B. it is focused too much on the result

C. it is dependent on too many things

D. it is based on actionable decisions

2.In Roland Fryer’s research, some students did better than the others because ______ .

A. they obeyed all the general rules

B. they paid more attention to exams

C. they were motivated by their classmates

D. they were rewarded for reading some books

3.According to the writer, which of the following statements is a good goal?

A. “I’ll give up desert.” B. “I’ll study harder.”

C. “I’ll cut down my expense” D. “I’ll spend more time with my family”

4.The writer strongly believes that we should ________ .

A. develop good habits and focus on the outcome

B. be optimistic about final goals and stick to them

C. pick specific actions that can be turned into good habits

D. set ambitious goals that can balance the input ang output

 

Answer 1

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.C

【解析】文章大意：人們總是為自己的減肥設(shè)立目標(biāo)，但是又總是無法成功。作者告訴我們那是愿望我們只關(guān)注了輸出，而忽視了輸入的影響。同時(shí)作者還通過實(shí)驗(yàn)告訴我們要養(yǎng)成采取行動(dòng)的習(xí)慣。

1.推理題。根據(jù)文章第二段1,2行To reach our goal of losing weight --- the output, we need to control what we eat --- the input ( 輸入). That is, we tend to care about the output but not to control the input.可知為了實(shí)現(xiàn)我們減肥的目的，我們需要控制我們的輸入，而不是只關(guān)注結(jié)果（輸出）。這就是我們只為自己設(shè)立減肥的目標(biāo)的錯(cuò)誤所在：只注意結(jié)果。故B正確。

2.推理題。根據(jù)文章第三段4,5行His main finding was that incentives increased achievement when based on input but had no effect on output.可知當(dāng)以輸入為基礎(chǔ)的時(shí)候，激勵(lì)會(huì)有很好的結(jié)果。再根據(jù)第三段2,3行In some cases, he gave students incentives based on input, like reading certain books可知針對(duì)輸入的激勵(lì)是讓他們讀書。故D項(xiàng)說法：獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)他們讀書是有效的。故D正確。

3.推理題。根據(jù)文章第二段可知要想減肥，很重要的是控制住我們的輸入。選項(xiàng)里的A項(xiàng)：“I’ll give up desert.” 我將放棄甜點(diǎn)。這就屬于控制輸入。故A正確。

4.推理題。根據(jù)文章倒數(shù)第二段最后一句Think about an actionable habit that you could adopt and stick to, like a family movie night every Wednesday.可知作者建議我們快樂那些我們能夠采納也能夠堅(jiān)持的行動(dòng)習(xí)慣。也就是說作者認(rèn)為我們要采取一些能夠成為習(xí)慣的行動(dòng)。故C正確。