What is the main idea of the passage?

A brief pause can add useful cues before an impulse becomes a choice, though it does not guarantee control. (The passage explains what a pause changes while clearly limiting what it can promise.)

Why does Maya ask what she was doing?

The question brings her unfinished study goal back into attention. (The question directs attention toward the book, sentence, and planned stopping point.)

What does “cue” mean here?

a signal that prompts attention or action (The buzz prompts a quick reach, while the open book prompts remembrance of studying.)

What is one suggested change to the setting?

silence a sound (The final paragraph lists silencing a sound among ways to make delay easier.)

The Pause Before an Impulse: Level 1 Reading Comprehension Questions

Maya’s phone buzzes during study. Her hand moves toward it before she decides. An impulse can begin quickly when a cue promises a reward.

Maya tries a short pause. She takes one breath and asks, “What was I doing?” The message still exists, but the pause adds new cues: the open book, the unfinished sentence, and her plan to stop after one page.

A pause does not erase desire or guarantee a wise choice. It creates a small space in which more information can enter. Maya may still check the phone. She may also turn it over and finish the page first.

Delays can be made easier by changing the setting. A person might silence a sound, move temptation away, or prepare the next action. The aim is not perfect control. It is giving reflection a chance to join the first impulse.

Comprehension questions