2 . HABITS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

As teenagers grow up, they become more independent and start making their own decisions. However, during this period, it can be easy for some of them to form bad habits. These bad habits, if left unchecked, could lead to more serious ones when they become adults. For example, some of them may become involved in tobacco or alcohol-abuse, which can lead to physical and mental health problems. To prevent harmful habits like these from dominating a teenager’s life is essential. They must learn to recognise bad habits early and make appropriate changes.

To change bad habits is never easy, even with many attempts. There is a famous saying based on the philosophy of Aristotle: “We are what we repeatedly do.” In many ways, our lifestyle is the sum of choices we have made. We make a choice to do something, and then we repeat it over and over again. Soon that choice becomes automatic and forms a habit that is much harder to change. The good news is that we can change, if we understand how habits work.

According to modern psychology, we must first learn about the “habit cycle”, which works like this:

*Firstly, there is a “cue”, an action, event, or situation that acts as a signal to do something.

*Secondly, there is a “routine” , the regular action you take in response to the cue.

*Thirdly, there is the “reward”, the good thing or feeling we get from the routine.

For example, when we feel unhappy (cue), we eat lots of unhealthy snacks (routine), which makes us feel happy (reward). The reward makes us much more likely to continue the cycle, and the bad habit of relying on unhealthy snacks is formed.

To facilitate a positive change in our bad habits, we must first examine our bad habit cycles and then try to adapt them. We can do this by combining the information from our habit cycles with our own positive ideas. For example, we could try to replace a negative routine with something more positive. So, when we feel unhappy again(cue), rather than eat snacks, we could listen to some of our favourite music instead(routine), which will make us feel relaxed (reward). Aside from changing bad habits, we can also use the habit cycle to create good habits. For example, when we come to an escalator(cue), our normal routine is to ride it, but we could change this routine into something more positive by taking the stairs instead.

Many of us try to change bad habits quickly, and if we are not successful straight away, we often become pessimistic and give up. In fact, the most successful way to change is not suddenly, but over a period of time. As the Chinese philosopher Lao Zi wrote, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” One step seems small, but it is essential. To reach the goal of change, a person must show some discipline and repeatedly take many small steps. After all, it is not easy to break bad habits.

For young people, there is plenty of time to change bad habits. However, there is no “magic pill” or delete button that will help you; you have to think about your bad habits and decide on some changes. You have the power to build a happy and healthy life full of good habits!

1. 快速阅读文章, 确定文章体裁, 归纳主旨大意。
The text is an _______________ (narration/exposition/argumentation), mainly about __________________.

A. How to change a bad habit and create good ones B. The cycle of how habits are formed C. Changing habits gradually D. No easy way to change bad habits E. What a habit is F. Why bad teenage habits should be changed

Para. 1_________________
Para. 2_________________
Para. 3_________________                    
Para. 4_________________                       
Para. 5_________________                       
Para. 6 _________________
2. 精读文章, 完成下面短文。

As teenagers grow up, they become more independent and start making their own decisions. However, during this period, it can be easy   ______ some of them to form bad habits. These bad habits, if ______ (leave) unchecked, could lead to more serious ones when they become adults. ______ (change) bad habits is never easy, even with many attempts. The good news is that we can change our bad habits if we understand ______ habits work. To facilitate ______ positive change in our bad habits, we must first examine our bad habit cycles and then try to adapt them.

We can do this by ______ (combine) the information from our habit cycles with our own positive ideas. We can also use the habit cycle ______ (create) good habits. Many of us try to change bad habits quickly, and if we are not successful straight away, we often become pessimistic and give up. In fact, the most successful way to change is not suddenly, ______ over a period of time. To reach the goal of change, a person must ______ (repeated) take many small steps. Young people have the power ______ (build) a happy and healthy life full of good habits!

3. 填写下面导图, 介绍坏习惯的形成时间、成因、以及人们应如何改变坏习惯。

Habits for a healthy lifestyle	The time when bad habits form	During adolescence, it can be easy for some of them to form ________.
	The ________ of bad habits	In many ways, our lifestyle is the sum of ________ we have made. If we want to change bad habits, we must first learn about the “habit cycle”.
	To adapt to bad habits	________ a positive change in our bad habits, we must first examine our bad habit cycles and then try ________ them.
	Change bad habits ______	In fact, the most successful way to change is not ________, but over a period of time. You have to think about your bad habits and decide on 8. ________.

3 . 语法填空

How do learning habits influence learning results? It’s useful and necessary to discuss learning habits. There is a famous     1     (say) “Good habits lead to good endings”, which shows the importance of habits.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” also     2     (show) a healthy everyday habit helps to build up our body. Thus, good learning habits can help us gain great learning results, high scores and abundant knowledge     3     (include)．At first, learning habits form our ways of thinking and attitude     4     the content of our learning.     5     (obvious), a good habit can help us to speed up to reach our destinations. As we can see, developing a good habit is so important that I would like to introduce one kind of good learning habits—keeping     6     learning diary every day. We can start the habit by     7     (write) a learning summary and remember to record something impressive and meaningful. Keep it in mind,     8     gradually we will gain this good learning habit and benefit from it.

What’s     9     (much), I find out that I still have some bad learning habits     10     well. I can only concentrate on reading for a short time, and I will conquer this problem by spending more efforts on concentration practice.

I believe that through my efforts, I can gain good learning results by having good habits.

4 . Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance (pocket money). The purpose is to let children learn from experience at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly.

    1    . Timing is another consideration. Some children get a weekly allowance. Others get a monthly allowance. In any case, parents should make clear what, if anything, the child is expected to pay for with the money.

At first, young children may spend all of their allowance soon after they receive it. If they do this, they will learn the hard way that spending must be done within a budget.     2    . The object is to show young people that a budget demands choices between spending and saving. Older children may be responsible enough to save money for larger costs, like clothing or electronics. Many people who have written on the subject of allowances say it is not a good idea to pay your child for work around the home. These jobs are a normal part of family life.

Paying children to do extra work around the house, however, can be useful. It can even provide an understanding of how a business works.

Allowances give children a chance to experience the things they can do with money.     3    . They can spend it by buying things they want. Or they can save and maybe even invest it.

Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice: you have to cut costs and plan for the future.

Requiring children to save part of their allowance can also open the door to future saving and investing.     4    . A savings account is an excellent way to learn about the power of compound interest. Compounding works by paying interest on interest. So, for example, one dollar invested at two percent interest for two years will earn two cents in the first year. The second year, the money will earn two percent of one dollar and two cents, and so on.

That may not seem like a lot. But over time it adds up.

A．Many banks offer services to help children and teenagers learn about personal finance.

B．They can share it in the form of gifts or giving to a good cause.

C．It is a good virtue for children to form a habit to learn how to save money.

D．The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs from family to family.

E．Parents are usually advised not to offer more money until the next allowance.

F．Parents are supposed to tell their children how they should spend their pocket money wisely but the refused to do so.

8 . Children at boarding school get the best night’s sleep because of strict lights out time, according to a recent study, which was presented at Sleep Down Under, the 33rd yearly scientific meeting of the Australasian Sleep Association. Professor Kurt Lushington, a psychologist who led the study; said, “It is a naturalistic experiment showing the key to good sleep in teenagers is quite simple: a good timetable and no mobile devices(设备) at night.”

Over the past 20 years, the time children spend sleeping has fallen and only half regularly get more than seven hours. The recommended amount is eight to ten. The biggest problems are smartphones and tablets (平板电脑) whose blue light wakes the brain, making it harder to drop off.

An Australian team compared sleep patterns of 15 to 18-year-olds at a school in Adelaide. The 59 boarders had to leave their phones in a kitchen area or on their desk before bed and turn their lights out by a set time. They slept for an average 8 hour 26 minutes a night compared with 7 hours 46 minutes for day pupils.

Lack of sleep affects mental health and school performance and causes behavioral problems. It has also been connected with the child obesity epidemic and other diseases. This year an American study found that teenagers who didn’t get enough sleep took in extra sugar during a school year. They ate sweets, cakes, chocolate and biscuits and drank fizzy drinks to promote their energy levels.

Lushington recommends that parents reach agreement on not using a phone. This is most likely to work if they do likewise and offer other enjoyments, such as books. “I think if you put these rules in place, kids will go along with them,” he told New Scientist.

1. What is the secret to teenagers’ good sleep according to Paragraph 1?

A．Strict lights out time.	B．More physical exercise at school.
C．Good bedtime plan and more playtime.	D．Regular schedule and no mobile devices.

2. What does the underlined phrase “drop off” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Fall asleep.

B．Fall behind.

C．Give up.

D．Calm down.

3. What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A．Bad examples of school performance.

B．Bad effects connected with lack of sleep.

C．Behavioral problems caused by bad eating habits.

D．The relationship between school performance and sleep.

4. What does Lushington suggest?

A．Teachers leaving less homework.

B．Students choosing proper sleep patterns

C．Parents as well as children not using phones.

D．Parents sending their children to boarding schools.

10 . My parents have very different parenting styles. Dad brings out the best in me. He is calm and reasonable and treats me like an adult.     1     She speaks to me as though I were still a child.

My friends and I think that our parents care too much about us. Take me for example.

    2     It was a journey I’d taken with Mum before. Dad was fine with the idea of me going alone, but it took weeks of arguments before Mum agreed. In her eyes, I’m not old enough to go on the trip alone. But I’m sixteen years old!

Parents need to learn to trust us. There is no point in becoming angry, which just makes things worse. A few months ago, Mum went crazy when I told her I’d been receiving e-mails from a stranger I’d met online. Since then she hasn’t allowed me to use the Internet.     3     They use monitoring software (监控软件) to secretly watch what their teenagers are looking at online.

I understand them, but they overreact (反应过激).     4     I think what they should do is keep calm and help us find a way to deal with it.

We love the idea of being really close to our parents.     5     But part of being a teenager is feeling free to take steps down new paths and learning from our own mistakes. Our parents have to let us get on with what is just a natural stage of life.

A．Some teenagers refuse to open up to their parents.

B．But she isn’t so bad as many of my friends’ parents.

C．Mum, on the other hand, kept respecting my decisions.

D．We also know deep down that our parents care about us most.

E．Recently, I wanted to take a train to Portsmouth to see a friend.

F．What they do makes us not want to talk about our personal things with them.

G．Mum, like so many parents of my friends, makes me not want to follow her advice.