Small steps to build long-lasting habits

通过明确的小目标建立长期习惯的方法

常速 | 五级（偏易）| 376词 | 2min20s

刘立军供稿

Part I. QUESTIONS

Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

Q1. According to James Clear, what is the main reason people fail to maintain good habits?  

A. They lack willpower.  

B. They do not set SMART goals.  

C. Their system is flawed.  

D. Their goals are too ambitious.  

Q2. What is an example of a SMART goal mentioned in the text?  

A. Exercising more during the week.  

B. Walking for 20 minutes every weekday evening.  

C. Reading a book every month.  

D. Going to the gym three times a week.  

Q3. What is the purpose of ‘habit stacking’ as explained in the text?  

A. To identify ineffective habits.  

B. To eliminate bad habits completely.  

C. To prioritize daily routines.  

D. To attach new habits to existing ones.  

Q4. What can be inferred about setbacks in building habits?  

A. They indicate that the system is ineffective.  

B. They are unavoidable and part of the process.  

C. They should be avoided at all costs.  

D. They make it impossible to maintain habits.  

Q5. What is the main purpose of the text?  

A. To discuss strategies for building and maintaining long-lasting habits.  

B. To explain why SMART goals are essential for habit formation.  

C. To highlight the importance of willpower in achieving goals.  

D. To emphasize the role of spontaneity in daily routines.  

Part II. TRANSCRIPT

Small steps to build long-lasting habits

It’s day one of a healthier, smarter, better you. You’re full of zest and good intentions. You woke up at 5am to run before work, you read a book in your lunchbreak, and you listened to an English podcast on your commute. Now, fast forward three months. Life is getting in the way, and you’ve slipped into old habits… snoozing your alarm and eating chocolate for breakfast. Sound familiar?

zest n. 热情，兴趣  

podcast n. 播客，音频节目  

commute n. 通勤，往返于工作地点和住所之间  

Don’t be hard on yourself. It’s unrealistic to rely on willpower alone. (Q1) As James Clear, author of the bestselling book Atomic Habits, writes, “The problem isn’t you. The problem is your system.” Our habits come from goals, so start by getting really clear. Goals, according to George T Doran, should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. It’s not enough to say, “I’ll exercise more” – that’s too vague! (Q2) A SMART goal would be “I’m going to walk for 20 minutes in the evenings on weekdays.” Now you have a clear action that you can stick to.

vague adj. 模糊的，不明确的  

Once you’re clear on your goals, you need to make the associated habits as automatic as possible. (Q3) Try ‘habit stacking’, a technique popularised in the book Atomic Habits, which involves attaching a new habit onto something you already do regularly. For example, if you already make coffee every morning, use that moment to read your book for 20 minutes. That way, your new reading habit is now intertwined with something you’re going to do anyway. Another key strategy is to reward yourself, to transform the habit from a chore into something pleasurable. If it’s hard to get yourself to the gym, promise yourself that after each visit, you’ll allow yourself a treat – a takeaway meal or an episode of your favourite TV show.

stack v. 堆叠，堆积  

(Q4) Even with our best intentions and a great system, stress and interruptions to your routine like social events can still make keeping habits feel like an uphill battle. If or when you have setbacks, accept it as part of the process. Life is full of spontaneity and uncertainty – one could argue that’s what keeps it interesting! Use setbacks as a pause for reflection and review. What about your system is working? What’s no longer serving you? Then, get back on track.

spontaneity n. 自发性，自然性

Part III. KEY

Q1. C.【解析】细节题。根据“As James Clear, author of the bestselling book Atomic Habits, writes, “The problem isn’t you. The problem is your system.” ”，可知詹姆斯·克利尔认为，人们无法坚持好习惯，问题不在于人本身，而在于自身的体系存在缺陷。因此正确答案为C。

Q2. B.【解析】细节题。根据“A SMART goal would be “I’m going to walk for 20 minutes in the evenings on weekdays.””，可知一个SMART目标可以是“我打算在工作日的晚上步行20分钟。”因此正确答案为B。

Q3. D.【解析】细节题。根据“Try ‘habit stacking’, a technique popularised in the book Atomic Habits, which involves attaching a new habit onto something you already do regularly.”，可知habit stacking是指“习惯叠加”，即将一个新习惯附加到你已经经常做的事情上。因此正确答案为D。

Q4. B.【解析】推理题。根据“Even with our best intentions and a great system, stress and interruptions to your routine like social events can still make keeping habits feel like an uphill battle. If or when you have setbacks, accept it as part of the process.”，可知即使我们有最好的意图和很好的系统，压力和社交活动等对日常生活的干扰仍然会让保持习惯感觉像是一场艰难的战斗。在培养习惯的过程中遭遇挫折是过程的一部分。因此正确答案为B。

Q5. A.【解析】主旨题。整篇文章的核心内容是讨论如何通过明确目标、习惯叠加和奖励机制等策略来建立和维持长期的习惯。“Small steps to build long-lasting habits” 的标题以及文章内容都围绕这一主题展开，因此正确答案为A。

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