Kids will often ignore your requests for them to shut off the TV, start their chores (杂事), or do their homework as a way to avoid following your directions. Before you know it, you’ve started to sound like a broken record as you repeatedly ask them to do their assignments, clean their room, or take out the trash. Rather than saying, “Do your chores now,” you’ll be more effective if you set a target time for when the chores have to be completed. So instead of arguing about starting chores, just say, “If chores aren’t done by 4 p. m., here are the consequences.” Then it’s up to your child to complete the chores. Put the ball back in their court. Don’t argue or fight with them, just say, “That’s the way it’s going to be.” It shouldn’t be punitive (惩罚性的) as much as it should be persuasive. “If your chores aren’t done by 4 p. m., then no video game time until chores are done. And if finishing those chores runs into homework time, that’s going to be your loss.” On the other hand, when dealing with homework, keep it very simple. Have a time when homework starts, and at that time, all electronics go off and do not go back on until you see that their homework is done. If your child says they have no homework, then they should use that time to study or read. Either way, there should be a time set aside when the electronics are off.
When a kid wears his iPod or headphones when you’re trying to talk to him, make no bones about it；he is not ignoring you, he is disrespecting you. At that point, everything else should stop until he takes the earplugs out of his ears. Don’t try to communicate with him when he’s wearing headphones—even if he tells you he can hear you. Wearing them while you’re talking to him is a sign of disrespect. Parents should be very tough about this kind of thing. Remember, mutual respect becomes more important as children mature.
【小题1】According to the passage, it seldom happens that________.

Why do people drink too much, eat too much, smoke cigarettes or take drugs? What’s to blame for all the bad behavior? Most people would say that, while these self-destructive acts can have many root causes, they all have one obvious thing in common: they are all examples of failures of self-control, lacking the will power to resist them.
According to a recent study, however, if you really think about it, something about that simple answer doesn’t quite make sense. In fact, it turns out that sometimes it’s having will power that really gets you into trouble.
Think back to the time you took your very first sip (啜饮) of beer. Disgusting, wasn’t it? When my father gave me my first taste of beer as a teenager, I wondered why anyone would voluntarily drink it. And smoking? No one enjoys their first cigarette — it tastes awful. So even though smoking, and drinking alcohol or coffee, can become temptation (诱惑) you need will power to resist, they never, ever start out that way.
Just getting past those first horrible experiences actually requires a lot of self-control. Ironically (讽刺的是), only those who can control themselves well, rather than give in to them, can ever come to someday develop a “taste” for Budweiser beer, Marlboro cigarettes, or dark-roasted Starbucks coffee. We do it for social acceptance. We force ourselves to consume alcohol, cigarettes, coffee and even illegal drugs, in order to seem experienced, grown-up, and cool.
These bad habits aren’t self-control failures — far from it. They are voluntary choices, and they are in fact self-control successes. Self-control is simply a tool to be put to some use, helpful or harmful. To live happy and productive lives, we need to develop not only our self-control, but also the wisdom to make good decisions about when and where to apply it.
【小题1】What do most people think causes bad behavior?

Why do people drink too much, eat too much, smoke cigarettes or take drugs? What’s to blame for all the bad behavior? Most people would say that, while these self-destructive (自我毁灭的) acts can have many root causes, they all have one obvious thing in common: they are all examples of failures of self-control, lacking the will power to resist them.

According to a recent study, however, if you really think about it, something about that simple answer doesn’t quite make sense. In fact, it turns out that sometimes it’s having will power that really gets you into trouble.

Think back to the time you took your very first sip (啜饮) of beer. Disgusting, wasn’t it? When my father gave me my first taste of beer as a teenager, I wondered why anyone would voluntarily drink it. And smoking? No one enjoys their first cigarette — it tastes awful. So even though smoking, and drinking alcohol or coffee, can become temptation (诱惑) you need will power to resist, they never, ever start out that way.

Just getting past those first horrible experiences actually requires a lot of self-control. Ironically (讽刺的是), only those who can control themselves well, rather than give in to them, can ever come to someday develop a “taste” for Budweiser beer, Marlboro cigarettes, or dark-roasted Starbucks coffee. We do it for social acceptance. We force ourselves to consume alcohol, cigarettes, coffee and even illegal drugs, in order to seem experienced, grown-up, and cool.

These bad habits aren’t self-control failures — far from it. They are voluntary choices, and they are in fact self-control successes. Self-control is simply a tool to be put to some use, helpful or harmful. To live happy and productive lives, we need to develop not only our self-control, but also the wisdom to make good decisions about when and where to apply it.

1.What do most people think causes bad behavior?

A．Being forced by others.                   B．Enjoying their first experiences.

C．Not having enough will power.              D．Following the examples of their friends.

2.The author mentions his experience in the third paragraph to prove ____.

A．will power helps develop bad habits sometimes

B．drinking beer is harmful to the health of teenagers

C．self-control should be developed when one is young

D．everyone can be challenged by different temptations

3.In the last paragraph, the author stresses that ____.

A．without self-control, no one can succeed

B．applying self-control correctly is important

C．bad habits don’t always lead to bad results.

D．people can develop wisdom from bad behavior

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A．My First Sip of Beer                      B．Do You Have Will Power ?

C．Will Power Benefits Us                   D．Dark Side of Self-control

Dear Tom,
I was surprising to receive your letter a few days ago. Since I came to the new school, I had planned to write to you. Therefore, the busy life of the school spared me no time. After came to the school, I made up of my mind to study hard. To tell you the truth, that was Miss White, my new English teacher, who changed my mind. She suggested that I give in my bad habits. Although he is very strict with us, all the students fond of her.
I have to stop here. I am looking forward to hear from you soon.
Yours,
Li Hua

Kids will often ignore your requests for them to shut off the TV,start their chores(杂事),or do their homework as a way to avoid following your directions.Before you know it,you’ve started to sound like a broken record as you repeatedly ask them to do their assignments,clean their room,or take out the trash.Rather than saying “Do your chores now.” you’ll be more effective if you set a target time for when the chores have to be completed.So instead of arguing about starting chores,just say,“If chores aren’t done by 4 pm,here are the consequences.”Then it’s up to your child to complete the chores.Put the ball back in their court.Don’t argue or fight with them,just say,“That’s the way it’s going to be.”It shouldn’t be punitive(惩罚性的)as much as it should be persuasive.“If your chores aren’t done by 4 pm,then no video game time until chores are done.And if finishing those chores runs into homework time,that’s going to be your loss.”On the other hand,when dealing with homework,keep it very simple.Have a time when homework starts,and at that time,all electronics go off and do not go back on until you see that their homework is done.If your kids say they have no homework,then they should use that time to study or read.Either way,there should be a time set aside when the electronics are off.
When a kid wears his iPod or headphones when you’re trying to talk to him,make no bones about it；he is not ignoring you,he is disrespecting you.At that point,everything else should stop until he takes the earplugs out of his ears.Don’t try to communicate with him when he’s wearing headphones — even if he tells you he can hear you.Wearing them while you’re talking to him is a sign of disrespect.Parents should be very tough about this kind of thing.Remember,mutual respect becomes more important as children mature.
1．According to the passage,it seldom happens that ________.
A．kids turn a deaf ear to their parents’ requests
B．parents’ directions sound like a broken record
C．children are ready to follow their parents’ directions
D．parents are unaware of what they are repeating to their kids
2．Parents will be able to deal with their children more effectively if they ________.
A．avoid direct ways of punishment     B．make them do things at their request
C．argue and fight with their children   D．allow their children to behave in their own way
3．When the kid is doing his homework,parents ________.
A．should provide him with a good learning environment
B．can do whatever they like
C．can stay aside watching TV
D．must switch off the power
4．It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A．parents should take off his headphones when trying to have a talk with their child
B．it will make no difference that a kid is wearing his earplugs while talking to his parents
C．parents shouldn’t give in to their kid when he shows no sign of respect
D．kids’ purposely talking to their parents with iPod gives them a sense of power and
control
5．The main idea of the passage is ________.
A．that respecting each other is more important than anything else
B．how kids behave to ignore and disrespect their parents
C．that children should make choices and decisions on their own
D．how parents can deal with their kids’ behavior effectively