Question

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 taste of beer. Feeling sick, wasn’t it? When my father gave me my first try 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 (attraction) that you need your 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 such experiences, can ever someday come to 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, just 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．Not having enough will power.

C．Enjoying their first experiences.

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 (强调) that ______.

A．without self-control, no one can succeed

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

C．applying self-control correctly is important

D．people can develop wisdom from bad behavior

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

A．My First Taste of Beer	B．Do You Have Will Power?
C．Will Power Benefits Us	D．Dark Side of Self-control

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.C

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：

1.B 推理题。根据第一段最后2行they all have one obvious thing in common: they are all examples of failures of self-control, lacking the will power to resist them.说明很多人认为人们染上不好的习惯是因为意志力不够，不能够抵御诱惑。故B正确。

2..A 推理题。根据第三段内容尤其是最后三行So even though smoking, and drinking alcohol or coffee, can become temptation (attraction) that you need your will power to resist, they never, ever start out that way.说明烟酒，咖啡的味道是很不好的，但是很多人为什么会染上这样的习惯？正是因为他们有足够的意志力让自己抵御这些不好的味道，最终喜欢上这些东西，故A正确。

3.C 推理题。根据文章最后两行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.说明人们的意志力很重要，我们需要正确地运用自己的意志力，我需要自我控制，我们更需要正确第运用自己的意志力。故C正确。

4.D 主旨大意题。文章通过为什么人们会染上一些坏的习惯来说明正是因为人们的意志力，才最终让人们染上了这样的恶习。讲述的是自我控制力的不好的一方面。教育我们要正确第运用自己的自我控制力。故D正确。

考点：考查议论文短文阅读