We are innately social animals and we can use that to our advantage.

　　IF YOU made a New Year's resolution and are already having trouble sticking to it, don't be too hard on yourself. It is not just a question of self will. Recent research shows that our behaviors and habits are more strongly influenced by friends and relatives than we might imagine. Furthermore, it seems that behaviors, ill-health and even moods pass through friendship networks across several degrees of separation, and we are almost bound to "catch" them

　　These findings have two important implications. The first is for public health. Governments tend to tackle issues such as smoking, alcoholism and unhealthy eating by focusing on individual behavior. Health campaigns could be much more effective if they accounted for the fact that society is not atomized. Behaviors are determined to a great extent by what others are doing. One idea is to “seed” health massages in small groups of peers, in expectation that the information will then cascade through the network. What is also clear is that many medical treatments look much more cost-effective when considering that a person’s illness— and likewise his wellness—has a knock-on effect on the health of those around him.

　　The second implication is for one’s view of human nature and autonomy. People like to think they are solely responsible for their actions, and that they are in control of their lives. This is largely an illusion. People are innately social animals, so it is hard to resist being influenced by others. However, by understanding one’s limitations and the social dimension to human behavior one can turn this to his advantage. Why not team up with friends and make a resolution together? You may find you are more successful.

　　36. According to the author, one possible reason that people that fail to stick to their new year’s resolutions is that .

　　A. they lack the willpower

　　B. they are too hard on themselves

　　C. they are influenced by friends and relatives

　　D. everyone has trouble sticking to them

　　37. What does the author mean by saying “society is not atomized” (Para.3, line. 3)?

　　A. Society is a collection of individuals

　　B. Society encourages individuality and separation.

　　C. Society is made up of independent individuals.

　　D. In society, individuals are closely interdependent.

　　38. One of the implications for public health is that medical treatment can be more effective by

　　.

　　A. realizing a patient’s behavior and moods will influence other patient’s health

　　B. focusing on each patient’s behavior

　　C. spreading the message in a group

　　D. expecting medical information will go from patient to patient

　　39. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that .

　　A. behavior is determined by one’s peer group

　　B. people can acknowledge their friends’ influence and use it to their advantage

　　C. people are social animals, so they cannot avoid the influence of others

　　D. people can be more responsible for their actions if they can control their lives

　　40. The passage is mainly about .

　　A. how to stick to one’s New Year’s resolution

　　B. how to influence friends’ behavior and moods

　　C. how to deal with health and social problems

　　D. how strongly human beings influence each other

　　Keys: CDABD