A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone’s else or ourselves --- the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn’t be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should alsobe quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying “Good job!”
Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clear will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh（刻薄的）and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem（自尊）and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.
小题1:The main idea of the first paragraph is that ________.A．not sticks and stones but words will hurt usB．inspiring words give us confidenceC．negative words may let us downD．words have a lasting effect on us小题2: There is no sense for us to feel embarrassed when we talk to ourselves because _______A．almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselvesB．we can benefit from talking to ourselvesC．talking to ourselves always gives us courageD．it does no harm to have “self-talk” when we are alone小题3: The underlined part in the third paragraph means that we should also timely _______A．praise ourselvesB．remind ourselvesC．make ourselves relaxedD．give ourselves amusement小题4:The author would probably hold the view that ___________A．encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offersB．negative words may stimulate us to make more progressC．people tend to remember friendly wordsD．it is better to think twice before talking to others