Researchers define self-control or self-discipline as“ability to control or change one’s inner responses”.
In their study,205 adults were given smart phones and required to report their emotions at random moments throughout the week.
The researchers found that the more self-control people had,the more satisfied they were with their lives in the long run.
These researchers also figured out that people high in self-control are simply less likely to find themselves in situations where that’s even an issue.They don’t waste time fighting inner battles over whether or not to eat a second piece of cake.
| A．In a word,they are not bothered about such little desires. |
| B．Researchers checked these general ideas through a survey and study. |
| C．It is generally believed that in the long run self-control can make people happier. |
| D．Meanwhile,they were also asked to report whether they were experiencing any desires. |
| E．However,people with more self-control were also more likely to be happy in the short run. |
| F．But they are still uncertain why some people are more able to control their inner responses. |
| G．Most adults reported they failed to control their desire to play video games before an exam. |
Yours,
Li Hua
Suzie wanted to go to a party. It was a beach party. It had been almost the only thing her friends had been talking about for the last couple of weeks. It was going to be the best party of the year, perhaps the best party of her life.
But there was a problem… and a big problem. Her mom had said no. Suzie was desperate, and the more desperately she pleaded her case, the more emphatically her mom said no. Suzie was disappointed. No, worse than that, she was heartbroken. This was her best friend’s party. How could she tell her that her mom wouldn’t let her go? She’d look silly if she was the only one not there. The other kids were bound to laugh at her. They might even dump her as a friend if she didn’t join in and participate in what they were doing.
Sunday dinner came around and Suzie’s Grandma joined the family for the meal, as she nearly always did on Sunday. Grandma noticed how unhappy Suzie had been looking during the meal but didn’t say a thing. It was Suzie’s turn to wash up and Grandma said, “Let me help you,” while the rest of the family shifted into the living room to watch a video.
“What’s up?” asked Grandma as Suzie dumped the dishes into water. Grandma wiped a plate with a tea towel.
“Mom won’t let me go to my best friend’s party,” said Suzie, sadly. “Has Mom explained why she doesn’t want you to go? “ asked Grandma. “No,” replied Suzie.
“Then for a moment, put yourself in her position,” said Grandma. “If you were Mom, what would your objections be?”
Suzie hadn’t stopped to think about her mom’s side. All she had seen was what she wanted. “Well,” she answered after thinking for a moment or two, “it’s a beach party. Maybe she doesn’t trust us or thinks we’ll get into trouble. Maybe she thinks we’ll drown or something, but we all know how to swim and look after ourselves.”
After further discussion, Suzie realised that her mom might be concerned about her safety because no adults would be at the party.
Suzie thought Grandma’s suggestions over and decided to have a chat with her mom.
Fifteen years ago, I was born in a big family. I had been taught that money couldn't buy everything ever since I was a little kid. My parents are the most hard-working people I have ever seen. As much as my parents tried to teach me these values, some could only be learned through personal experiences.
As a child, I would sit in the church trying to concentrate on the words of the priest (牧师), but my attention was soon attracted by the shining gold and the diamonds worn by the Saturday churchgoers. As my eyes began to wander, I noticed men dressed in their tailored suits and shirts accompanied by women in their designer dresses with matching handbags and shoes.
My family, on the other hand, was the opposite of rich. Our hand-me-down clothes had been washed so many times that the colors had become dull and lifeless. Although this revealed the money struggles of our large family, our faces were always washed and hair neatly combed. When sitting on the old big red and white truck after the service, I pictured the lives led by those driving their brand-new cars, wishing I would be one of them.
I never stopped those fantasies, even when I was in middle school. Since it was a private school, most of the children came from wealthy families. As a result, I constantly felt ashamed. Although I could hide my lack of wealth at school by wearing our school uniforms, my poverty was embarrassingly apparent on weekends with my classmates wearing designer jeans and I had no choice but to wear my sisters’ old jeans. I never fitted in with my classmates. To my relief, there was only one girl named Julie who opened her heart to me. I was attached to her like a shadow. Soon, her birthday was approaching. Julie invited me to attend her birthday party.
However, I grew upset as I couldn't afford a gift.
When she opened the gift box, my heart was too nervous to beat.
It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn't see some rain soon we would lose everything. It was on this day that I learned the true lesson of sharing and witnessed the best miracle I have ever seen in my life.
I was in the kitchen making lunch for the family when I saw my six-year old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. I could only see his back. He wasn't walking with his usual steps. He was obviously walking with great effort... trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house. I went back to make sandwiches, thinking that whatever he had been doing was completed. Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful long step toward the woods. This activity went on for over an hour: walking cautiously to the woods, then running back to the house. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey.
He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked; being very careful not to spill (溅出) the water he held in them. I stepped close as he went into the woods. Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He might have a much greater purpose, I thought. As I came closer, I saw the most amazing sight. Several large deer stood in front of him. Billy walked right up to them, at the sight of which I almost screamed for him to get away. A huge buck (雄鹿) was dangerously close. But the buck neither threatened him nor even moved as Billy knelt down. And I saw a baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from heavy loss of water and heat exhaustion, lifting its head with great effort to lap (舔) up the water cupped in my boy's hands.
When the water was gone, Billy jumped up to run back to the house. I followed him back to the tap.
This time I joined him, with a small pot of water from the kitchen.
Nowadays, more and more college students have no problem walking into a classroom and opening their laptops. Others may spend an entire study period with a smartphone in hand. Some people argue that the increasing use of technology can have many helpful effects on society. But a recent research suggests that using technology during class time may harm college students' ability to remember and process the subject material.
Arnold Glass, a professor in Rutgers University in New Jersey4, and a student researcher investigated the issue of divided student attention. The study involved 118 Rutgers students who were taking the same level college class. The students were permitted to use any electronic device during half of their daily class periods. During the other half, no one was allowed to use any technology.
The researchers found that the average daily quiz results showed no evidence of harmful effects from the use of technology. However, the average results of the larger tests and final exam showed that all the students performed poorly when they were permitted to use technology in the classroom. Glass argues that it shows the use of electronic devices in the classroom prevents students from processing information. When the students hear what the professor is saying, they might be buying things online or reading unrelated emails at the same time. And that, Glass says, makes it harder for the information to enter their long term memory. Even though the students know what the professor said at that time, they no longer remember it a week later because they missed the opportunity.
However, Lauren Margulieux, an assistant professor at Georgia State University in Atlanta argues that there are times when classroom use of technology is unavoidable. So, he says, educators need to consider that something other than technology is distracting students.
In fact, a special software program has been created. Students can use the program, which engages students more with the class material on their personal devices during a given class. It can also be used to observe student activity and prevent them from opening unrelated pages and programs.
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