Tired of bad handwriting, Richie decided to perfect his penmanship (書法) last January. Though the year progressed, his writing didn’t. “My penmanship just got worse,” he says. “I get tired of trying to write neatly.”

Like Richie, many teenagers make resolutions in the New Year. More than half of Americans say they make a New Year’s resolution – but only one-third of them keep to it, reports the University of North Carolina, US.

Demanding (追求) perfection  stops people working on their resolutions, says Chicago life coach Alison Miller.

Resolutions sometimes can be unrealistic (不現(xiàn)實).. Going for a goal  that’s too hard to achieve can leave a person feeling sad. “Saying ‘I’m going to look like a super-model’ is going to make you unhappy,” she says.

Sure, it’s a great idea to aim for improvement, but not all resolutions are helpful. The difference between good and bad resolutions is whether you expect too much from yourself, Miller says. For example, it’s OK to say, “I’m going to eat fewer French fries,” but striving (力爭)  for a perfect body isn’t reasonable.

Timing can also damage a resolution. Kevin M., 16, says he doesn't set resolutions because 12 months is unrealistic. “It’s too long and you start putting off keeping your resolution during summer,” he says.

He’s considering a career in music, but says school is his main focus. Knowing how hard he has to work, he says he’ll “be lucky to get 30 minutes a day” of practice. But a bit is better than nothing, and making reminders can help you make progress. Miller says teenagers should write down their goals and say to themselves, “What can I do today to make my goal a reality?”

“It’s just small steps along the way. It’s not about doing it all at once,” Miller says.

1.What’s the writer’s purpose by talking Richie in the first paragraph?

A．To advise people to keep their New Year’s resolutions.

B．To show that some people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions.

C．To tell readers why Richie isn’t a good hand writer.

D．To show why New Year’s resolutions are important.

2.Many Americans stop working on their New Year’s resolutions because ______.

A．they think it is silly to make resolutions

B．they find keeping resolutions is boring

C．the time of keeping resolutions is too short

D．their choice of resolution turns out to be unrealistic

3.Which of the following statements would Miller probably agree with?

A．Teenagers should set themselves perfect goals.

B．To achieve your goals, you needn’t write them down.

C．People should try to realize their goals step by step.

D．A good resolution helps people realize their possibility.

 
Tired of bad handwriting, Richie decided to perfect his penmanship (書法) last January. Though the year progressed, his writing didn’t. “My penmanship just got worse,” he says. “I get tired of trying to write neatly.”
Like Richie, many teenagers make resolutions in the New Year. More than half of Americans say they make a New Year’s resolution – but only one-third of them keep to it, reports the University of North Carolina, US.
Demanding (追求) perfection  stops people working on their resolutions, says Chicago life coach Alison Miller.
Resolutions sometimes can be unrealistic (不現(xiàn)實).. Going for a goal  that’s too hard to achieve can leave a person feeling sad. “Saying ‘I’m going to look like a super-model’ is going to make you unhappy,” she says.
Sure, it’s a great idea to aim for improvement, but not all resolutions are helpful. The difference between good and bad resolutions is whether you expect too much from yourself, Miller says. For example, it’s OK to say, “I’m going to eat fewer French fries,” but striving (力爭)  for a perfect body isn’t reasonable.
Timing can also damage a resolution. Kevin M., 16, says he doesn't set resolutions because 12 months is unrealistic. “It’s too long and you start putting off keeping your resolution during summer,” he says.
He’s considering a career in music, but says school is his main focus. Knowing how hard he has to work, he says he’ll “be lucky to get 30 minutes a day” of practice. But a bit is better than nothing, and making reminders can help you make progress. Miller says teenagers should write down their goals and say to themselves, “What can I do today to make my goal a reality?”
“It’s just small steps along the way. It’s not about doing it all at once,” Miller says.
【小題1】What’s the writer’s purpose by talking Richie in the first paragraph?

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Jun， Korea Posted: 3 days ago	Question: First trip to the USA For my new job, I will travel to the United States next month and meet my American boss. This will be my first trip to the USA. I’m worried about correct business behavior and manners. My boss invited me to his home for dinner. Do you have any advice? Reply
Sue, Miami Posted: 3 days ago	Re: First trip to the USA It’s a good idea to bring a small gift or something from your country. Don’t be surprised if your boss opens the gift right away. In the USA, people often open a gift when they receive it. In Korea, that is not polite, but it’s appropriate in the USA. Reply
Sam, Los Angeles Posted: 2 days ago	Re: First trip to the USA Americans use their hands to eat some kinds of food, such as pizza and fried chicken. Watch your American hosts, and do what they do. Reply
Kathryn, New York Posted: 12 hours ago	Re: First trip to the USA In Korea and Japan, it’s the custom to remove your shoes before entering a house. In the United States, you usually don’t take your shoes off. Once I was travelling in Japan and entered a house with my shoes on by mistake. Oops! Reply
Lee, Korea Posted: 2 hours ago	Re: First trip to the USA Many Americans are very informal at home. One time I went to dinner at the home of an American business partner, I was surprised that everyone stood and talked in the kitchen while the husband and wife cooked dinner. Besides, unlike in Korea, everyone took part in the dinner table conversation, even the man’s wife and children. Reply
Andrew, Washington Posted: 2 hours ago	Re: First trip to the USA I agree with Lee. I was surprised that American men often cook and that both the husband and wife come to dinner table and talk. You probably won’t speak about business during dinner, so my advice is to know some good topics of conversation. For example, you can talk about travel, food, music, or sports. Of course, it’s good to ask about your boss’s family. But it’s not polite to question about age, salary, religion, or politics.