A habit is any action that we have performed so often that it becomes something we do almost without thinking. Some of them are thought to be bad habits. People spend countless hours and dollars each year trying to drop these bad habits but often fail. Why? Change is hard work and there is no shortcut to achieve it. However, there is still some advice for you to follow.

First, look at why you do it. In other words, what’s the result of doing this thing? If your bad habit is shouting at people when you are unhappy or under pressure, what do you get from it? It may make you feel a little better for the moment. Or maybe you have a bad habit of leaving your homework undone. The result could be that you get more time to spend on the Internet!

Next, take a look on the other hand. What are you losing because of your habit? Shouting at other people is a bad habit because it makes people around you feel bad and unhappy. Leaving your homework undone is a bad habit because you may be punished by your teacher. Having more Internet time means that you are losing the chance to learn the things that you need to learn. When you think that way, you’ll find that it’s not wise to keep your bad habit! Now it is time to make a decision. What will you choose? I’m sure you will choose to do what you think is more important.

1.From the first paragraph we know that      .

A. people always fail to break bad habits

B. we must change all the habits we have

C. a habit is a terrible thing we can never change

D. it’s difficult, but we should do something about bad habits

2.The underlined sentence “there is no shortcut to achieve it” means that      .[来源:学_科_网]

A. it is not easy to give up bad habits       B. there is a long way and a short way

C. something dangerous may happen       D. we must cut bad habits in a short time

3. According to the passage, if you want to drop your habits, you have to      .

A. talk to others when you are in low spirits  B. know why you do what you do

C. finish your homework first                              D. spend less time on the Internet

4.. The main purpose of this passage is to ask us       .

A. not to shout at people when we are sad    B. not to spend much time on the Internet  

C. to give up our bad habits                                D. to decide what to choose

If you think you’re too shy and want to be a little bit brave, try the following:

You can make it. Tell people you’re shy. There’s no need to hide it. When they get to know you’re a shy kid, they’ll understand you better. This also helps you feel more relaxed in talks.

Try to smile more. When you smile, people think you’re friendly and easy to talk to. Remember that other people have feelings too and most people will stay away from an angry-looking face.

Learn to be a good talker. If you find it hard to start talks, say something nice about people around you. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn’t it make you want to keep talking to that person?

Get your attention elsewhere（在别处）. Think more about ways to enjoy parties or games. Don’t waste time worrying about your look or whether people like you or not.

Take one small step at a time. Each time when you say “Hi” or smile at someone, say to yourself “You did it”. Keep trying and one day you’ll never feel shy when you talk about yourself.

1.How many pieces of advice does the passage give us?

2.If you find it hard to start a talk, you can          .

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

4.What is the best title for this passage?

Hu Yaohui, a schoolgirl in Zhejiang province, didn’t want to speak or eat for a week. She kept worrying about her scores on the exam. “I can’t stop thinking about my place in the class,” she said. “I feel stressed out.”

Hu is not the only one who faces stress. According to a recent survey conducted by Wuhan University of Hubei province, 70 percent of the 2,000 students who are going to take the college and high school entrance exams feel under pressure (压力).

Stress is a normal physical response (反应) to things that make people feel worried or break their balance of life in some way.

Stress isn’t always bad. Sometimes, people’s stress is important during emergency situations, such as when a driver has to stop his car to avoid an accident. Sometimes, stress can help people do their best — like while getting ready before a big competition or exam.

However, too much or long-term stress gives people a stress overload (负荷过多). People with stress overloads may have problems remembering or concentrating on things. They are quick to get angry or lose patience. They may even have other problems, such as sleeping problems, headaches and often getting colds.

The most helpful way to deal with stress overloads is to learn how to manage the stress. For example, you might manage it by getting a good night’s sleep, or by exercising every day.

Another good way to deal with stress is to ask parents or friends for help. Everyone has stress. For many people, stress is so common that it has become a way of life. Don’t be too shy to tell others that you are having a hard time. They may comfort you or give you some useful advice. Sometimes just sharing your problems with someone else can make you feel better.

1.Hu Yaohui felt stressed out about __________.

A. her marks on the exams

B. which seat to take during exams

C. not being able to sit in the front

D. not being allowed to eat in class

2.According to the survey in Paragraph 2, __________ of the 2,000 students who will take entrance exams feel stressed.

A. nearly half                          B. about 1,400

C. almost seven hundred                 D. about one seventh

3.Which of the following is TRUE?

A. Stress is a kind of serious heart disease.

B. Stress is always bad for people.

C. Stress is always useless for an exam.

D. Stress is greatly needed sometimes.

4.The best title of this passage is “__________”.

A. Many students face stress now.

B. People’s stress is sometimes important.

C. How to get less stress

D. How to get good results with the help of stress.