Chapter 5: Review Test 5

Read the following passage from a college communications textbook. Complete the summary and answer the questions.

Shaping

      ¹Regardless of how motivated and committed you are to change, some behaviors are almost impossible to change immediately. ²To reach your goal, you may need to take a number of individual steps, each designed to change one small piece of the larger behavior. ³This process is known as shaping. ⁴For example, suppose that you have not exercised for a while. ⁵You decide that you want to get into shape, and your goal is to be able to jog three to four miles every other day. ⁶You realize that you'd face a near-death experience if you tried to run even just a few blocks in your current condition. ⁷So you decide to start slowly and build up to your desired fitness level gradually. ⁸During week one, you will walk for one hour every other day at a slow, relaxed pace. ⁹During week two, you will walk for the same amount of time but will speed up your pace and cover slightly more ground. ¹⁰During week three, you will speed up even more and will try to go even further. ¹¹You will continue taking such steps until you reach your goal.      ¹²Whatever the desired goal, shaping is composed of four aspects. ¹³First, start slowly and try not to cause undue stress during the early stages of the program. ¹⁴Second, keep the steps small and achievable. ¹⁵Third, be flexible and ready to change if the original plan proves uncomfortable. ¹⁶And finally, refuse to skip steps or to move to the next step until the previous step has been mastered.