Don’t put it off, do it now!
Why do we spend so much time not doing the work we should do, or putting off small jobs that have piled up to create a big problem? Procrastinating, as putting things off like this is called, is in our character we have naturally since birth; we avoid dull or difficult jobs until it’s too late to do anything else.
“We often put things off although we know it will make life more stressful,” says Dr. Steel, an authority on the science of motivation. “If these tasks were fun, we’d just do them now. We put off what is difficult or unpleasant, such as the paperwork that needs doing before leaving the office or cleaning the bits of your home that people can’t see. But the fact is, the less people procrastinate, the more money they have, the better relationships they have, and the healthier they are.” This is obvious when you look at the couples who don’t argue about whether anyone has cleaned the kitchen, and the people who simply go for a run instead of endlessly rescheduling it in their heads.
Of course, there are the rest of us, who feel the small jobs piling up around us daily. “We’ve evolved to respond to the moment, and not to set our sights too far in an uncertain world,” Dr. Steel adds. “We are not set up to appreciate long-term rewards, whether it’s the benefit of a four-year degree, doing exercise or dieting. We usually feel the cost now and the reward comes much later.” According to Dr. Steel, we have two decision-making systems. They are the limbic, which is responsible for the short term, and the prefrontal cortex, which deals with the future. We bounce between long-term goals and short-term temptations, so we need goals that will translate our plans for the limbic system.
Let’s take the example of students’ writing essays. They should set themselves targets and word counts per day. These are thus turned from seemingly endless tasks into something concrete with measured progress. Dr. Steel recommends such techniques, or “pre-commitments”, adding that leaving you a month before the “deadline” makes it more likely a task will be completed. The benefit is that you’ll avoid the embarrassment of not following up on something people are expecting you to do—telling everyone you are going to take up jogging makes you more likely to do so.
Overcoming procrastination finally comes down to planning, which, if you’re not careful, becomes procrastination in itself. But it is worth making sure you have everything in place. “Successful people don’t pretend they don’t procrastinate,” Dr. Steel says. “People who pretend they have willpower are less successful.” Instead, plan for procrastination: make your work environment a temple of productivity by cutting out what stops you paying your attention, so you can really focus on moving forward.
1.What does the author say about procrastination in Paragraph 1?
A. It is something many people can’t help.
B. It is an excuse people often use in public.
C. It is caused by the technology in people’s life.
D. It is more common when people have small jobs to do.
2.In paragraph 3, Dr. Steel believes that people who procrastinate should ______.
A. attempt to overcome their natural tendencies
B. take the advice of others in the same situation
C. be aware that their problem is relatively small
D. find out more about the way they make decisions
3.Why does Dr. Steel recommend making “pre-commitments” in Paragraph 4?
A. They are an alternative to impossible goals.
B. They make challenges feel more manageable.
C. They are an effective way of impressing others.
D. They allow people to achieve their aims sooner.
4.What does the author do by saying the underlined sentence?
A. Encourage the reader to develop plans effectively.
B. Advise the reader to deal with complex tasks quickly.
C. Warn the reader against spending too long getting organized.
D. Remind the reader to take the time to focus properly on a task.
高三英语阅读理解困难题
Don’t put it off, do it now!
Why do we spend so much time not doing the work we should do, or putting off small jobs that have piled up to create a big problem? Procrastinating, as putting things off like this is called, is in our character we have naturally since birth; we avoid dull or difficult jobs until it’s too late to do anything else.
“We often put things off although we know it will make life more stressful,” says Dr. Steel, an authority on the science of motivation. “If these tasks were fun, we’d just do them now. We put off what is difficult or unpleasant, such as the paperwork that needs doing before leaving the office or cleaning the bits of your home that people can’t see. But the fact is, the less people procrastinate, the more money they have, the better relationships they have, and the healthier they are.” This is obvious when you look at the couples who don’t argue about whether anyone has cleaned the kitchen, and the people who simply go for a run instead of endlessly rescheduling it in their heads.
Of course, there are the rest of us, who feel the small jobs piling up around us daily. “We’ve evolved to respond to the moment, and not to set our sights too far in an uncertain world,” Dr. Steel adds. “We are not set up to appreciate long-term rewards, whether it’s the benefit of a four-year degree, doing exercise or dieting. We usually feel the cost now and the reward comes much later.” According to Dr. Steel, we have two decision-making systems. They are the limbic, which is responsible for the short term, and the prefrontal cortex, which deals with the future. We bounce between long-term goals and short-term temptations, so we need goals that will translate our plans for the limbic system.
Let’s take the example of students’ writing essays. They should set themselves targets and word counts per day. These are thus turned from seemingly endless tasks into something concrete with measured progress. Dr. Steel recommends such techniques, or “pre-commitments”, adding that leaving you a month before the “deadline” makes it more likely a task will be completed. The benefit is that you’ll avoid the embarrassment of not following up on something people are expecting you to do—telling everyone you are going to take up jogging makes you more likely to do so.
Overcoming procrastination finally comes down to planning, which, if you’re not careful, becomes procrastination in itself. But it is worth making sure you have everything in place. “Successful people don’t pretend they don’t procrastinate,” Dr. Steel says. “People who pretend they have willpower are less successful.” Instead, plan for procrastination: make your work environment a temple of productivity by cutting out what stops you paying your attention, so you can really focus on moving forward.
1.What does the author say about procrastination in Paragraph 1?
A. It is something many people can’t help.
B. It is an excuse people often use in public.
C. It is caused by the technology in people’s life.
D. It is more common when people have small jobs to do.
2.In paragraph 3, Dr. Steel believes that people who procrastinate should ______.
A. attempt to overcome their natural tendencies
B. take the advice of others in the same situation
C. be aware that their problem is relatively small
D. find out more about the way they make decisions
3.Why does Dr. Steel recommend making “pre-commitments” in Paragraph 4?
A. They are an alternative to impossible goals.
B. They make challenges feel more manageable.
C. They are an effective way of impressing others.
D. They allow people to achieve their aims sooner.
4.What does the author do by saying the underlined sentence?
A. Encourage the reader to develop plans effectively.
B. Advise the reader to deal with complex tasks quickly.
C. Warn the reader against spending too long getting organized.
D. Remind the reader to take the time to focus properly on a task.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
(2011·陕西)It is not how much we do but how much love we put into what we do ________ benefits our work most.
A.who B.which C.that D.what
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is not how much we do but how much love we put into what we do ________ benefits our work most.(2011·陕西)
A.who B.which C.that D.what
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is not how much we do but how much love we put into what we do______benefits our work most.
A. who B. which C. that D. what
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is not how much we do but how much love we put into what we do ______ benefits our work most.
A. who B. which C. that D. what
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
the Internet is , I do not think it is a good idea to spend too much time on it.
A.When; greatly beneficial B.As; a great benefit
C.While; of great benefit D.Now; of no benefit
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is not how much we do but how much love we put into what we dobenefits our work most.
A.where B.that C.when D.who
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
I’m not making ________ near as much money as I did when I was employed full time, but now we don’t need as much either.
A. anything B. everything
C. anywhere D. everywhere
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
If our bodies actually suffer from eating too much sugar, then why do we like it? And why don 't we have such a strong eager for food like, say, broccoli (西兰花),which is a great source of Vitamin C,Vitamin K iron, all things our body actually needs? If it's so bad for us, then why does sugar taste so good? There are hundreds of journal articles trying to answer that very question. Let' s take a look at what they' ve come up with.
Studies have shown that the love children have for sugar may be born with. In other words, kids may have a built-in love of all things sweet. The preference for sweet foods is found to be already evident in newborns, who prefer sweeter formulas (配方). It also seems to be shared by children globally across cultures and climates. There’s further evidence that kids’ taste buds (味蕾) are more sensitive to bitter-tasting foods, further pushing them to reach for the sweets. One study showed that adults tend to maximize their sugar preference at about the level of sugar in a can of soda, but older children still liked drinks that were twice as sweet. The scientists couldn't find a limit to the concentration of sugar younger children preferred. It turms out that the kids still liked the sugary drink even past the point where there was too much sugar to be dissolved (溶解) in water anymore.
Sugar gets a bad fame, but it isn't all bad. Sugar provides our bodies with calories, which we can then change into energy. Children, in particular, need this energy to fuel their rapid growth. Sugar also helps us store fat, which can be drawn on later if needed. Our body knows to pursue the things it needs as two way of signaling our brain to start eating what we’re missing.
As a vegetarian (素食主义者),I know that when I start thinking about stealing the peanut butter sandwich that's been floating around in my kid' s backpack, it' s probably not because the sandwich is so delicious. It' s more likely that I haven't gotten enough protein for the day.
1.What makes so many people study sugar?
A.High sugar intake.
B.Curiosity about Sugar.
C.The love for sugar.
D.The magic effect of sugar.
2.What do the studies show about eating the sweets?
A.Loving sugar is human's nature.
B.A vegetarian doesn't like sugar so much.
C.The older one is, the more sugar one needs.
D.The love for sugar depends on living habits.
3.How does sugar impress us according to the text?
A.Deadly but irresistible.
B.Beneficial but harmful.
C.Necessary but not welcome.
D.Useful but not nutritious.
4.Why does the author steal his kid's food?
A.To store more protein,
B.To treat his illness.
C.To avoid his kid eating more.
D.To meet body' s needs.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
_________ the internet is _________, I do not think it is a good idea to spend too much time on it.
A.When ; helpful | B.As ; great help |
C.While ; of great help | D.Now ; of no help |
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析