Question

Millions of Americans began 2015 with the same resolution (决定) they started 2014 with, a goal of losing weight. However, setting weight loss as a goal is a mistake.

To reach our goal of losing weight — the output, we need to control what we eat —the input (输入). That is, we tend to care about the output but not to control the input. This is a bad way to achieve goals. The alternative is to focus your resolution on the input. Instead of determining to lose weight, try an actionable resolution: “I’ll stop having dessert for lunch,” or “I’ll walk every day for 20 minutes.” Creating a goal that focuses on a specific (具体的) input will likely be more effective than concentrating on the outcome.

Recently a new science behind incentives (激励), including in education, has been discussed. For example, researcher Roland Fryer wanted to see what works best in motivating children to do better in school. In some cases, he gave students incentives based on input, like reading certain books, while in others, the incentives were based on output, like results on exams. His main finding was that incentives increased achievement when based on input but had no effect when based on output. Fryer’s conclusion was that the incentives for inputs might be more effective because students do not know how to do better on exam, apart from general rules like “study harder”. Reading certain books, on the other hand, is a well-set task over which they have much more control.

As long as you have direct control over your goal, you have a much higher chance of success. For instance, if you want to spend more time with your family, don’t stop with this general wish. Think about an actionable goal that you could stick to, like a family movie night every Wednesday.

In the long run, these new goals could become a habit.

1.The writer thinks that setting weight loss as a goal is a mistake because _________.

A. it is focused too much on the result

B. it is hard to achieve for ordinary people

C. it is dependent on too many things

D. it is based on actionable decisions

2.In Roland Fryer’s research, some students did better than the others because ________.

A. they obeyed the general rules of learning

B. they benefited from reading certain books

C. they attached more importance to exams

D. they were greatly inspired by their instructors

3.According to the writer, which of the following statements is a good goal?

A. “I’ll study harder than before.”

B. “I’ll cut down my expense.”

C. “I’ll spend more time with my family.”

D. “I’ll walk every day for 15 minutes.”

4.The writer strongly believes that we should __________.

A. be optimistic about final goals and stick to them

B. focus more on the outcome and form good habits

C. create general goals that can balance the input and output

D. take specific actions that can be turned into good habits

Answer 1