Habit formation is the process by which behaviours become automatic. People develop countless habits as they explore the world, whether they are aware of them or not. Understanding how habits take shape may be helpful in changing bad habits.
Habits are built through learning and repetition. A person is thought to develop a habit in the course of pursuing goals by beginning to associate certain cues(刺激) with behavioural responses that help meet the goal. Over time, thoughts of the behaviour and ultimately the behaviour itself are likely to be triggered(触发) by these cues.
A “habit loop(环)” is a way of describing several related elements that produce habits. These elements are called the cue, the routine, and the reward. For example, stress could serve as a cue that one responds to by eating, which produces the reward﹣the reduction of stress. While a routine involves repeated behaviour, it’s not necessarily performed in response to a deep﹣rooted urge, as a habit is.
Old habits can be difficult to shake, and healthy habits are often harder to develop. But through repetition, it’s possible to form new habits. The amount of time needed to build a habit will depend on multiple factors, including the individual and the intended behaviour. While you are able to pickup a new habit in a few weeks, it takes many months to build a healthy habit. Take some time to think about what leads to bad habits and re﹣evaluate what you get out of them (or don’t). Consider and keep in mind why you want to make a change, including how the change reflects your values.
1. How are habits built?2. In what way is a routine different from a habit?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Picking up a new habit takes a few week, while building a healthy habit takes a shorter time.
4. What benefit(s) have you got from one of your good habits?(In about 40 words)
| A．crying | B．to cry | C．cried | D．cry |
Last year, I baked biscuits for complete strangers to say “thank you”. I’d had to call 999 because I found my husband unconscious on the floor. Within minutes, a police car arrived and soon my husband received medical care in hospital.
A week later, when I dropped off still-warm biscuits and presented a thank-you note at the police station, the policemen thanked me for delivering gifts.
I drove away feeling light and happy. Later, I realized that my natural high might have been more than it seemed.Research has shown that sharing gratitude has positive effects on health. People who express gratitude will increase their happiness levels, lower their blood pressure and get better sleep.
What about people who receive gratitude?Research has confirmed that when people receive thanks, they experience positive emotions.“Those are happy surprises,”says Jo-Ann Tsang, a professor of psychology. When someone is thanked,he’s more likely to return the favor or pass kindness on, and his chances of being helpful again doubles, probably because he enjoys feeling socially valued.
The give-and-take of gratitude also deepens relationships. Studies show that when your loved ones regularly express gratitude,making you feel appreciated,you’re more likely to return appreciative feelings, which leads to more satisfactory in your relationships.
Nowadays,however,many people don’t express gratitude. Our modern lifestyle may be to blame. With commercial and social media, everything is speeding the younger generation to feel they’re the center of the world. If it’s all about them, why thank others?
Why not thank others? Just take a look at how many positive effects can saying “thank you”have on personal health—and the well-being of others.
If you aren’t particularly grateful, I strongly suggest you learn to be.People who are instructed to keep gratitude journals,in which they write down positive things that happen to them,cultivate gratitude over time.
1. What health benefits can people gain from expressing gratitude?2. How do people probably respond when they receive gratitude and feel socially valued?
3. Please decide which part of the following statement is false, then underline it and explain why.
▷ Saying “thank-you”improves relationships,but nowadays some young people don’t want to do it because everything is making them feel blamed by the whole society.
4. If possible, who would you like to express gratitude to most? Why? (In about 40 words)
4 . Very far away from the city lived a poor farmer and his wife. In front of their house was a small dirt road. Very few cars drove on this road because it was so far from the city. On the dirt road, there was a big hole filled with water. The hole was very deep, but drivers on the road didn’t know just how deep. Drivers always drove into the hole, but they never drove out.
One day, a man in a new car was driving down the road. He saw the hole with the water, but he didn’t think it was very deep. He drove into the hole, but he couldn’t drive out. The man saw the farmer on his tractor working in the field, and he signaled to the farmer. The farmer drove over to the man in the new car.
“Is there a problem?” asked the farmer.
“Yes,” said the man. “My car is stuck in this hole. Can you help me?”
“Maybe,” said the farmer. “But I’m very busy.”
“If you help me, I’ll pay you,” said the man.
“OK,” said the farmer. The farmer pulled the car out of the hole with his tractor, and the man paid him a lot of money. The man looked at the farmer and said, “You must make a lot of money pulling cars out of this hole day and night.”
“Actually, no,” said the farmer.
“Why not?” asked the man.
“The hole is very deep, and a lot of people get stuck and ask for help. But I don’t make money day and night because I don’t pull cars out at night.”
“At night I’m busy filling the hole with water,” answered the farmer.
1. Why did very few cars drive on the small dirt road?| A．Because the road was dirty. | B．Because it was so far from the city. |
| C．Because very few people knew the way. | D．Because the drivers knew there was a hole. |
| A．he just learnt to drive a car | B．it was the first time that he passed there |
| C．he knew how deep the hole was | D．he knew the farmer in the field |
| A．Drivers didn’t see there was a hole on the road. |
| B．The man drove into the hole and never drove out. |
| C．The farmer was busy filling the hole with water at night. |
| D．The driver made a lot of money pulling cars out of the hole day and night. |
| A．The road | B．The city | C．The car | D．The man |
5 . The music is on. The figure skater glides, jumps and spins. One turn, two turns, three turns.
Why? People often feel dizzy and lose balance after spinning around.
Figure skaters don’t have any super power.
| A．No pain, no gain. |
| B．They get dizzy, too. |
| C．Their movements are so smooth and graceful. |
| D．Other methods include keeping a uniform speed. |
| E．Skaters also have methods to help them feel less dizzy. |
| F．It seems they never get dizzy no matter how many times they spin. |
| G．This is because when we move our head during a spin, our eyes start to move in the opposite direction. |
What is culture shock? When he first visited the US, Mr Li was confused on a bus. He offered his seat to an elderly man, but the man seemed
7 . How to Do a Proper Social Media Detox
Despite the involvement of dopamine (多巴胺), social media addiction is a psychological addiction. You need to stop rewarding your current dopamine triggers so that your brain can return to normal.
●Deactivate your accounts.
●Uninstall all social media apps. This will eliminate all of those notifications and alerts that play such a crucial role in social media addiction. And you won’t be as likely to pop one of those apps open in moments of boredom or stillness.
●Block all social media sites. This is for your computers, laptops, and tablets. Use one of these web filtering tools to restrict access to social media sites.
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●Stick with the detox long enough. While studies are still limited on this, most experts agree that it takes approximately three months (or 100 days) for dopamine levels to return to normal. It may take longer depending on how long and how intensely you’ ve been addicted.
One last word of advice: Don’t panic. A detox doesn’t have to be permanent — it just has to be long enough to rewire your brain and break you out of the endless dopamine cycle. You can always come back later.
| A．Take a moment and search your heart. |
| B．My preferred tool is K9 Web Protection. |
| C．Replace social media with another activity. |
| D．This will serve as a fence against your sudden wish to check in. |
| E．You can’t do a detox if you’re feeding your appetite here and there. |
| F．So don’t be surprised if it takes upwards of six months or even a year. |
| G．Like most addictions, it takes hold of you long before you realize it even exists. |
| A．that | B．who | C．whose | D．whom |
9 . As the weather is colder and daytime shorter, many of us may experience changes to our energy, mood and overall well-being.
Spend time in nature each day
Drink plenty of water
When it's cold outside, we often reach for a warm cup of coffee or tea. Both drinks have antioxidant properties, but it is important to consume adequate water to stay hydrated. Purchase a large water bottle of 32 ounces or more, so that a few fill-ups get you enough.
Feel connected to others
Rain, snow and freezing temperatures make it more frightening to leave the house and brace the elements to connect with people. During winter, it is normal to feel more lonely after spending more time at home, especially if you also study or work from home.
Spring and summer are energetically very busy, fruitful times when we naturally feel more active and enjoy packing our days with lots of activity. The fall and winter are a time to slow down and go inward, letting go of what no longer serves us and building up our reserves.
| A．Prepare warm, nourishing dishes. |
| B．Accept the change by slowing down. |
| C．Keep your water bottle on your desk or workspace. |
| D．Schedule a standing coffee or lunch date with a friend. |
| E．If you follow the rules above, you will surely feel much better. |
| F．Here are some ideas to help you feel best during the winter months. |
| G．Research shows spending time in nature makes for positive mental well-being. |
