Do you often compare yourself to other people? Whether it’s the number of goals you’ve scored at football or how many books you’ve read, it’s easy to compare yourself to someone else. It’s a natural behavior that helps humans learn from each other, live happily together and achieve more. However, it s not always helpful and you can find yourself fall in a comparison trap (陷阱). This is when you always measure yourself against others and base your feelings on how well they seem to be doing.

Comparison can make us feel good and bad about ourselves. “Comparing up” means seeing someone is better than you and using that to encourage yourself to aim higher and try harder. However, sometimes it can make you feel rubbish about yourself and undermine your confidence. “Comparing down” is when you see someone who seems like they’re not doing as well as you. This might make you feel you’re doing well, but it can also stop you wanting to improve.

How do you escape comparison trap? If your feelings depend on what other people are doing, always stay with cheerleaders. Notice how people make you feel and spend time with friends who celebrate your strengths rather than compare themselves to you. If you follow social media (媒体) accounts that make you feel you are failing in any way, unfollow them. Find ones that make you laugh or show you lovely places instead. Finally, pay attention to your own achievements and how you can improve. The best person you can compete with is yourself.

Let’s make positive, healthy comparisons. Instead of trying to be the best aim to be your best. This means you value your own achievements and not someone else’s. Celebrate progress instead of the final result. It doesn’t matter if someone is better or faster than you, it’s how hard you try that’s important. Set some goals and pay attention to your progress. Instead of saying “I can’t do it”, say “I can’t do it yet”.

【小题1】What is the purpose of comparing yourself to others according to the text?

A．To knock your confidence.

B．To learn from each other and achieve more.

C．To make others feel bad about themselves.

D．To stop you want to move.

【小题2】Which word is close to the underlined word “undermine”?

A．Increase.

B．Build.

C．Weaken.

D．Get.

【小题3】What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us?

A．Competing with yourself is not necessary.

B．Your feelings always depend on other people.

C．We can follow the ways to escape comparison trap.

D．Friends can make you laugh and show you lovely places.

【小题4】What is the key to making positive, healthy comparisons?

A．Valuing others’ achievements.	B．Celebrating your progress.
C．Trying to be better than everyone else.	D．Trying to be the best in everything.

【小题5】Which can be a proper title for the text?

A．Suggestions on “comparing up”.	B．Keys to stopping comparison.
C．Benefits of aiming high.	D．Ideas about making comparison.