英语四级阅读练习：自言自语其实没那么可怕_大学英语阅读

英语四级阅读练习：自言自语其实没那么可怕

　　In a recent study of students learning to throw darts in a gym class, Athanasios Kolovelonis and his colleagues at the University of Thessaly in Greece found that self-talk is most effective when incorporated into a cycle of thought and action. First comes forethought, when you set a goal for yourself and make a plan for how to get there. Thats followed by performance, when you enact the plan to the best of your ability. Last comes self-reflection, when you carefully evaluate what youve done and adjust your plan for the next time.

　　Self-talk can play a key part in this cycle. During the forethought phase, consider carefully what youll say to yourself. You can even write out a script. Repeat these self-instructions during the performance phase. With practice, you may find that your self-instructions become abbreviated; research has found that these so-called cue words can become powerful signals. In a study of elite sprinters, for example, the runners spoke certain words to themselves at certain times: push during the acceleration phase of the sprint, heel during the maximum-speed phase, and claw during the endurance phase. When they used these cue words, the athletes ran faster.

　　After the action is over, consider how you might change your self-talk to improve your performance next timeso that at the moment it matters, the right words are ringing in your ears.