一. 问答
1. What does "you are always choosing"? Can you define it and give an example?
We are always choosing, whether we recognize it or not. Life is full of choices. For example, after getting up, we start to choose. What should we wear today? What do we have for breakfast? How do we go to work, by car or by train? We have to make choices to do them.
2. What's the point of telling William James's story?
The point is, no matter the external circumstances, we are responsible for everything in our lives. We don't always control what happens to us, but we always control how we interpret what happens to us, as well as how we respond. Often the same event can be good or bad, depending on the metric we choose to use.
3. Any responsibility problems you had with your boyfriend/girlfriend or parents? If any, please tell us your story.
上周，父母因为极小的事情冷战了三天。分享一下我对此的思考：
当父母吵架时，子女应该怎么劝？这三种方法，你会选择那个？
① 不添乱，让他们自己去处理；
② 一起劝，用幽默去化解；
③ 分开劝，设身处地地深入聊，试图解开心结。
小时候的我多半会选择①，现在的我更多地会选择③（②目前我还很难做到）。因为沟通太重要了，无论多亲近的人也一样。我们常常有个误区，认为最亲近的人理所当然应该懂得，不需要直说。殊不知这想法造成了太多的误会、误解。所以，我觉得应该用自己的方式，疏导在气头上的父母想得更清楚一些。
二. 感想
这章读到最后，我忽然就想到了在《士兵突击》里，袁朗对成才说的一段话：“不抛弃，不放弃。”你倒是记住了。可真正做到这六个字的人抛弃了什么，放弃了什么？想吧，现在！”
每一次看，每一次想，这个情节都会给我很大的冲击。选择和放弃，是一个我们一直需要思考和面对的问题。选择的同时，也意味着放弃。我们无时无刻不在平衡，挑选出我们认为更重要的东西，而放弃另一些，亦或，分配注意力。
不要总想着万全，因为时间和精力都是有限的，要懂得取舍。其实很多时候，相比“取”，“舍”更难。我们总是想要这个，也想要那个。可到了放弃的时候，万般不舍。总觉得也许还可以再挣扎一下，就不用放弃。而往往，要么累个半死，要么降低质量。无论怎样，结果都是不理想。
对于我这种“贪心”的人，尤其应该想明白这个问题并有所行动。不要总对那些放弃的东西觉得可惜、遗憾，没有舍，哪有得呢？把注意力集中起来，把重心放在最想得到、最重要的事情上来，才有意义，也才能收获更多。
三. 字词
1. drag on
(1) 原文：And as the years dragged on, his father (a wealthy businessman) began ridiculing him for his laziness and his lack of talent.
(2) 解释：（事情）拖延地进行
(3) 造句：This project dragged on for years.
2. screw sth up = mess sth up
(1) 原文：If he screwed this up, there was no hope for him.
(2) 解释：把某事弄糟
(3) 造句：He screwed up his speech because of his nervousness.
3. punch line / punchline
(1) 原文：The punch line?
(2) 解释：（故事、戏剧、笑话中的）妙语
(3) 造句：He always has a lot of punchlines when talking.
4. down the toilet
(1) 原文：Three years together, down the toilet just like that.
(2) 解释：付诸东流
(3) 造句：Because of all my efforts down the toilet, I have to start from scratch.
5. own up to (doing) sth
(1) 原文：Some things just feel too painful for them to own up to.
(2) 解释：承认
(3) 造句：I'm too frightened to own up to my mistake.
