Question

“Oh, my God! Did I really just send that text?” Most people have said something that they wish they could take back. And if they had paused to think about it first, they probably would have acted differently. Pausing doesn’t pay off just when you speak. Scientific studies have shown that making a habit of pausing before you do something can actually have a big impact on how your life turns out.

In making decisions we rely on two areas of the brain. One area creates and processes emotions; the other governs logical thought. The type of decision, how we feel about it, and how prepared we are to handle it help determine which brain area has the most influence.

But our age also plays an important role. Thinking through the consequences of one’s actions is actually harder for teens because the area controlling logical thought is not fully developed until around age 25. This is why teens often feel an intense emotional drive to act impulsively--it’s how their brains are structured! Though this tendency to act without considering the outcomes can lead to problematic situations, impulsivity during the developmental years evolves because it makes teens more open to new experiences and ideas. This openness helps teens become independent adults.

The key to making impulsivity work for you--instead of against you--is to train your brain by practicing pausing. This doesn’t mean you stop taking risks or being open to new experiences. But you won’t know if the risk is worth it until you think it through. Deciding to take a risk based on logic shows self-control, not impulsivity.

What are different ways to pause? You might take a deep breath, count to 10, or ask, “Is this worth it?” Different strategies work for different people. Whatever works for you, keep doing it! By practicing pausing, you can actually change your brain. This means that over time, pausing, instead of immediately reacting, becomes your “natural” response. And with this change, people are on their way to enjoying the life rewards that come with high levels of self-control--even if they weren’t natural--born pausers!

1.What challenges teenagers________?

A. Giving natural response.

B. Making logical decision.

C. Acting before thorough thinking.

D. Choosing brain-training strategies.

2.An impulsive person tends to __________.

A. think through a risk in advance

B. show high level of self-control

C. consider or accept new ideas

D. change ideas frequently

3.According to the passage, by training one’s brain, one can __________.

A. stop taking risks

B. fully develop one’s brain

C. become more open to new experience

D. reduce the influence of emotional drive

4.What is the best title for the passage________?

A. Discover the Brain Function

B. Crying Over the Spilt Milk

C. Push the Pause Button

D. Impulsivity Works

Answer 1

1.B

2.C

3.D

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：文章主要讲的是影响人们做决定的因素。科学研究发现，在做事情之前，停下来思考一下是很有必要的。人们依靠大脑的两个区域来作出决定，一个区域产生情绪，另一个区域控制着逻辑思维。

1.Thinking through the consequences of one’s actions is actually harder for teens because the area controlling logical thought is not fully developed until around age 25.”可知，对于青少年来说，考虑行为的后果是比较困难的，因为他们的大脑中，控制逻辑思维的区域尚未发育完全，故选B。

2.it makes teens more open to new experiences and ideas. This openness helps teens become independent adults”可知，青少年时期的冲动使青少年更容易接受新事物和新想法，故选C。

3.This doesn’t mean you stop taking risks”排除A；根据第四段“Deciding to take a risk based on logic shows self-control, not impulsivity.”可知，基于逻辑思考的冒险决定显示了一个人的自控能力，而不是冲动，说明通过训练，在做决定时，人们更加能够使用逻辑思维，减少情绪的影响，故选D。

4.making a habit of pausing before you do something can actually have a big impact on how your life turns out”和第四段“The key to making impulsivity work for you...is to train your brain by practicing pausing.”与第五段“What are different ways to pause?”可知，文章主要讲的是养成暂停的习惯，在做事情之前，应该停下来仔细考虑一下，故选C。

考点：心理类短文阅读