阅读理解
A popular saying going " Sticks and stone 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 else or ourselves--the positive and negative effects are just as lasting．
We all talk to ourselves sometimes．we are usually too embarrassed to admit it though．But 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 motive ourselves remember things solves 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 also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back． The next time you finish a project do well on a test or finally clean your room join me in saying "Good job"!
Often words came out of our mouths without us thinking about the effects they will have; but we should be aware that our words cause certain responses to others．For example when returning an item to a store we might use warm friendly language during the exchange．And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner．Or we can use harsh critical language which will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive．
Words possess power because of their lasting effects．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 true? Is it loving? Is it needed?" If what we want to say doesn't pass this test then it is better left unsaid．
Words possess ower：both positive ad negative．Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively．We can offer hope build self-esteem and motive 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．