Question

Have you ever eaten a whole packet of biscuits when you were planning to only have one? Or have you stayed up much later than you planned, or even all night, having “just one more” try in a game? Both of these are examples of mindlessness. When we live this way, we are not fully awake and not fully living our lives.

When we are mindful, we are different. We are conscious of our thoughts, our actions and what is happening around us. We might notice a beautiful sunset or really listen carefully to what a friend is saying, rather than planning what we’re going to say next. We are also clear about our own feelings and thoughts. So we are consciously deciding what to pay attention to, we are not worrying about the past or planning for the future and we are not trying to control or stop our thoughts or feelings—we’re just noticing them.

For most people, life is getting busier and more stressful(有压力的). Technology means

that we always have something to do and there isn’t much opportunity to just “be”. People are often doing two or three things at the same time: texting while watching TV, or even looking at phones while walking.

Research shows that mindfulness reduces stress. It can help you to focus, to have a better memory and to think more clearly. It can also help you to manage pain better and to improve sleep, and it can even help you to lose weight because you won’t eat that whole packet of biscuits without thinking!

A very simple technique that you can try right now is to close your eyes for a few minutes and count how many sounds you can hear. This will help you to focus on what is happening right now. Another technique is to focus on a piece of food. Instead of eating it without thinking, notice how it feels and how it tastes.

Both of these techniques help you to slow down and focus on the present moment, as Jon Kabat Zinn says, mindfulness is: “Paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and without judging. ”

1.Why does the writer ask two questions in the first paragraph?

A. To predict the influence of stress. B. To describe the modern way of life.

C. To introduce the topic of mindfulness. D. To show the importance of healthy habits.

2.The underlined words “be conscious of” in Paragraph 2 probably mean “ ”.

A. be ready for B. know something well

C. be careful with D. take something seriously

3.Which of the following is an example of mindfulness?

A. Listening to the birds singing with patience. B. Having potato chips as much as you’d like to. C. Watching a movie with a large box of popcorn.

D. Taking pictures of flowers when walking in a park.

Answer 1