Question

A popular saying goes，“Sticks and stones may break my bones，but words will never hurt me.” However，that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves — the positive and negative effects are lasting.

We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it，though. But we really shouldn’t be，because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves is a healthy habit.

This “self-talk” helps us motivate(激发) ourselves，remember things，solve problems and calm ourselves down. Be aware，though，that as much as 77% of self -talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive，we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project，do well on a test，or finally clean your room，join me in saying，“Good job！”

Often，words came out of our mouths without us thinking about the effects they will have；but we should be aware that our words will cause certain responses to others. For example，when returning an item to a store，we might use warm and friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or we can use harsh (苛刻的)or critical language，which will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.

Words possess power because of their lasting effects. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us！Before speaking，we should always ask ourselves：Is it true？Is it loving？Is it needed？If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test，then it’s better left unsaid.

Words possess power：both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope，build self-esteem(自尊) and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal？The choice is ours.

41．The author argues in the first paragraph that ________.

A．words will never hurt us at all        B．words have lasting effects on us

C．inspiring words give us confidence    D．negative words may let us down

42．Why should not we feel embarrassed when it comes to talking to ourselves? ________.

A．Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health.

B．Almost everybody has the habit of talking to oneself.

C．Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems.

D．It is harmful to have “self talk” when we are alone.

43．The underlined phrase “give ourselves a pat on the back” in Paragraph 3 means “________”．

A．blame ourselves  B．punish ourselves   C．talk to ourselves  D．praise ourselves

44．Which of the following statements would the author agree to? ________.

A．Unkind words are unlikely to be forgotten.

B．Positive words may destroy all the good relations.

C．It is better to think twice before talking to others.

D．Kind words are sure to cause unfavorable responses.

45．Why should we talk in a friendly way when returning an item to a store? ________.

A．Because kind words destroy true relationships.

B．Because the clerk in a store is hard to deal with.

C．Because critical language may hurt your feelings.

D．Because friendly words cause positive responses.

Answer 1

 B A D C D