Assessment Task for Reading

Topic: Book Talk – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey

This assessment task focuses on developing senior secondary students’ reading skills.

This set of materials contains the following:

5  The reading text

 A set of questions

 Suggested answers

 Annotated text

10

1
15
Reading Text
An alumnus of your school has returned to give a talk on a book that changes his life
in the Reading Week. Below is his speech on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
by Sean Covey:
20

Principal, teachers and school brothers and sisters,

It is indeed my pleasure and honour to be invited by my alma mater to share with my

fellow school brothers and sisters a book that influences me most. I have racked my
brains to come up with a book that not only changes my life, but also speaks and
5 relates to most of you here. After serious thoughts, I decide to introduce this title – The
7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey.

Sean Covey is an American author and an expert in leadership training for organisations
and individuals. Sean Convey is famous for writing motivational books for children and
teens. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is based on the principles laid down in the
10 ground-breaking and best-selling self-help book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
written by his father, Stephen Covey.

I read this book when I was in Secondary 6. Serving as the Chairperson of the Student
Union and Co-editor of the school magazine back then, I often felt stressed and lost, but
the seven habits in the book really helped me to manage my time, relationships, studies
15 and life in general more effectively. Since then, these seven habits have become the
principles and mottos of my life. For those of you who haven’t read the book, let me
share with you briefly what they are:

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Being proactive means more than taking initiative. It is about being the force of your life.
20 Proactive people believe they are the change agents, rather than the passive victims of
events – as the reactive people do. They choose to take action to achieve their goals,
instead of reacting to the situations as they arise. They hold themselves responsible for
their results and own up to their mistakes. As they don’t lay the blame on others, they
have the power to fix the problems, change the outcomes and create a better future.

25 Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

We must set a clear goal in life before we can work towards it. A sports team never
plays and practises without a purpose in mind, be it to win a game or to get an award.
Similarly, individuals, families and organisations (such as a school) shape their future by
creating a common vision. All members then commit themselves to achieving it.
30 Defining your missions and goals in life helps you control your own destiny.

2
 Habit 3: Put First Things First
Prioritise and do the most important things first. As parents always say to their kids,
“Work before your play!”. Putting first things first simply means – “I do things that I
HAVE to before I do things that I WANT to.” Of course, this also involves beating
35 procrastination and managing attention. While spending time on the tasks that are most
important, it is also necessary to stay focused to minimise distraction and off-task
behaviours, so that you can get the important tasks done efficiently.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

Thinking win-win is a frame of mind and attitude that seeks mutual benefits. It is
40 opposite to thinking selfishly (i.e. win-lose) or submissively (i.e. lose-win). A win-win
mentality is built upon mutual respect in the social relationships. To achieve this, one
must think inter-dependently in terms of “we”, not “me”. Thinking win-win encourages
conflict resolution and helps individuals seek mutually beneficial solutions in
negotiations.

45 Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

We have two ears and one mouth and we should therefore listen twice the time we
speak. When we listen with the intent to understand others, rather than with the intent to
speak, we begin true communication and relationship building. Seeking to understand
takes kindness, while seeking to be understood takes courage. The art of effective
communication lies in balancing the two.
50
Habit 6: Synergise
There is an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go
together.” Synergy is energy that expands through cooperation. “Synegetic” families,
teams and organisations thrive on individual strengths and come up with better ideas.
They can work more effectively and achieve more because of the value of teamwork.
55
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
The final habit reminds us to constantly refresh and upgrade ourselves, so that we can
create personal growth and positive changes in our life. We can renew ourselves
physically through eating healthily and exercising; emotionally through socialising with
60 people; mentally through reading and learning; and spiritually through spending time in
self-reflection and meditation. In this way, we can enhance the greatest asset we have
(i.e. ourselves) and stay energised to practise all the other six habits.

I hope I have not given away the content too much and you will still be motivated to read
the book to find out the profound wisdom therein. Since I read the book 15 years ago, I
65 have been working hard to put these seven rules into practice. I re-read different

5 3
 sections of the book from time to time, particularly in times of adversity and frustration,
to remind myself these timeless principles. In every re-reading, I am enlightened and
gain new insights. If you want to increase your capacity to manage yourself, interact
with people and handle the challenges around you, this is a book for you.

70 To end my book talk today, I would like to quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

Let’s sow the seeds of success by forming the right habits today!

END OF READING TEXT

4
 Questions

Read the speech on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey and answer
25 questions 1-20. Blacken the circle when appropriate.

1. Why does the speaker think The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is a suitable book to
introduce in the book talk? (2 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________
30 ____________________________________________________________________________

2. The idiomatic expression “rack my brains” in Lines 3-4 means:

A. brainstorm
B. think randomly
35 C. think very hard
A B C D
D. ask for advice    

3. (a) What is the relationship between The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and The 7 Habits of
Highly Effective People?
40 ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

(b) Could you suggest one possible difference between the two books?

45 ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

4. From the information given in Lines 1-17, decide if the following statements are True (T), False
(F) or Not Given (NG). (4 marks)
a) The speaker is giving the speech in a school he attended before.
b) Stephen Covey is the son of Sean Covey.
c) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is a best-selling self-help
book.
d) The speaker was a student leader in his secondary school.
50

5. Suggest a reason why the speaker felt “stressed and lost” (Line 13) in Secondary 6?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

10
55 6. What do “they” refer to in Line 17?
“They” refer to ______________________________________________________________.

7. Based on the information in Habit 1: Be Proactive, identify three main differences between
“proactive” and “reactive” people. (3 marks)
60 i) Proactive people
___________________________________________________________, while reactive
people _______________________________________________________.
ii) Proactive people
___________________________________________________________, while reactive
65 people _______________________________________________________.
iii) Proactive people
___________________________________________________________, while reactive
people _______________________________________________________.

70 8. In Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind, the word “end” in the title means
_________________.

9. Why are the words “HAVE” and “WANT” (Lines 33-34) capitialised in Habit 3: Put First Things
First?

75 ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

10. Complete the following note with suitable words from Habit 3: Put First Things First. Use one
word for each blank. (3 marks)

To Practise Habit 3: Put First Thing First

You Need: You should avoid:

 prioritisation  ______________

 focus  ______________

 __________  off-task behaviours

80

11. What are the benefits of “thinking win-win”?

6
 ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

85 12. What does “the two” in Line 49 refer to?

____________________________________________________________________________

13. How does the African proverb help to bring out the message of Habit 6: Synergise?

____________________________________________________________________________
90 ____________________________________________________________________________

14. Complete the following summary based on information in Habits 4, 5 & 6. Fill in ONE word for
each blank. The word may or may not appear in the reading text. (8 marks)

Sean Covey provides readers with some useful guidelines on how to get
along with people in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. Habit
4: Think Win-Win is absolutely useful for (a)_____________ conflicts. This
mentality enables two parties to think inter-dependently and work out the
best solution based on mutual (b) ___________ and (c) __________. Habit
5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood is equally helpful. It is
important to be an attentive (d) ___________ rather than a dominant
speaker if we want to (e) ____________ with people effectively. Habit 6:
Synergise reminds us the value of (f) ____________, which is essential in
the world today. To succeed in the 21 st Century, working well (g)
_____________ is not enough as many tasks require collaborative work.
With good synergy, an organisation is capable of going further and (h)
_____________ more.

95
15. Explain the metaphor used in the title of Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. What does it mean to
“Sharpen the Saw”? (2 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
100 ____________________________________________________________________________

16. In addition to the examples given by the speaker in Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw, could you
suggest two other activities that help to renew oneself? (2 marks)

7
 ____________________________________________________________________________
105 ____________________________________________________________________________

17. Categorise the seven habits into two groups based on the given headings? (2 marks)
Relevant Habits
On self-management Habits: ____________________________
On interpersonal relationship Habits: ____________________________
110

18. Which of the seven habits do you think is the most useful? Justify your answers with two
reasons. (2 marks)

I think Habit _______ is the most useful for the following reasons:
115 i) ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
ii) ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

120 19. Find words from Lines 55-68 that mean the same as the following. Use ONE word only for
each item. (5 marks)

Meaning Word in the text

(a) valuable thing
(b) deep
(c) difficult and unfavourable situation
(d) everlasting
(e) ability / power

20. Why does the speaker end with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote? How is the quote related to the
125 content of the talk? (2 marks)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

130

END OF QUESTIONS

15 8
 Suggested Answers to the Reading Task

1. Why does the speaker think The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is a suitable book to
introduce in the book talk? (2 marks)
135 The speaker chooses to introduce The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens because this book
changes his life and he thinks the book can speak and relate to the audience of the talk.

2. The idiomatic expression “rack my brains” in Lines 3-4 means:

A. brainstorm
140 B. think randomly
C. think very hard
A B C D
D. ask for advice    

3. (a) What is the relationship between The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and The 7 Habits of
145 Highly Effective People?
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is based on the principles laid down in The 7 Habits of
Highly Effective People. The former is written by the son (i.e. Sean Covey) and the latter is
written by the father (i.e. Stephen Covey).

150 (b) Could you suggest one possible difference between the two books?
The content of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens may be more related to teenage life while
the content of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People may be more related to the adult world
as the target readers are different. (Any reasonable answers are acceptable.)

155 4. From the information given in Lines 1-17, decide if the following statements are True (T), False
(F) or Not Given (NG). (4 marks)
a) The speaker is giving the speech in a school he attended before. T
b) Stephen Covey is the son of Sean Covey. F
c) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is a best-selling self-help NG
book.
d) The speaker was a student leader in his secondary school. T

5. Suggest a reason why the speaker felt “stressed and lost” (Line 13) in Secondary 6?
He felt stressed and lost because he found it hard to manage time and cope with his studies
160 and duties as the Chairperson of the Student Union and Co-editor of the school magazine. (Any
reasonable answers are accepted.)

9
 6. What do “they” refer to in Line 17?
“They” refer to the seven habits (in the book).
165

7. Based on the information in Habit 1: Be Proactive, identify three main differences between
“proactive” and “reactive” people. (3 marks)
i) Proactive people believe they are the change agents, while reactive people see themselves
as the passive victims of events.
170 ii) Proactive people (choose to) take actions to achieve their goals, while reactive people react
to the situations as they arise.
iii) Proactive people hold themselves responsible for their results and own up to their mistakes,
while reactive people lay the blame on others.

175 8. In Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind, the word “end” in the title means goal / purpose /
outcome.

9. Why are the words “HAVE” and “WANT” (Lines 33-34) capitialised in Habit 3: Put First Things
First?
180 Capitalisation helps to emphasise the two words and highlight their difference. “HAVE” shows
urgency and necessity, whereas “WANT” suggests a desire. Through the contrast, readers
understand what we “HAVE” to do should be given higher priority.

10. Complete the following note with suitable words from Habit 3: Put First Things First. Use one
185 word for each blank. (3 marks)

How to Practise Habit 3: Put First Thing First

You need: You should avoid:

 prioritisation  procrastination

 focus  distraction

 attention  off-task behaviours

11. What are the benefits of “thinking win-win”?

Thinking win-win encourages conflict resolution and helps individuals seek mutually beneficial
solutions in negotiations.

190

10

20
 12. What does “the two” in Line 49 refer to?
Seeking to understand and seeking to be understood

195 13. How does the African proverb help to bring out the message of Habit 6: Synergise?
The proverb illustrates the importance of teamwork and the benefits of cooperation. It tells us
that going together (i.e. working in collaboration) enables us to travel further (i.e. to achieve
more), which is the key message of Habit 6: Synergise.

200 14. Complete the following summary based on information in Habits 4, 5 & 6. Fill in ONE word for
each blank. The word may or may not appear in the reading text. (8 marks)

Sean Covey provides readers with some useful guidelines on how to get
along with people in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. Habit
4: Think Win-Win is absolutely useful for (a) resolving conflicts. This
mentality enables two parties to think inter-dependently and work out the
best solution based on mutual (b) respect and (c) benefits. Habit 5: Seek
First to Understand, then to be Understood is equally helpful. It is
important to be an attentive (d) listener rather than a dominant speaker if
we want to (e) communicate with people effectively. Habit 6: Synergise
reminds us the value of (f) teamwork, which is essential in the world today.
To succeed in the 21st Century, working well (g) individually is not enough
as many tasks require collaborative work. With good synergy, an
organisation is capable of going further and (h) achieving more.

15. Explain the metaphor used in the title of Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. What does it mean to
205 “Sharpen the Saw”? (2 marks)
To sharpen the saw means to constantly refresh, upgrade and renew oneself. In this metaphor,
the self is compared to the saw because the saw is an asset and tool for work. Sharpening the
saw means making the saw sharper, so that it does not become blunt over time and can cut
more effectively. This is similar to our renewing and re-energising ourselves, so that our body
210 and mind do not get tired and can be refreshed to work more effectively.

16. In addition to the examples given by the speaker in Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw, could you
suggest two other activities that help to renew oneself? (2 marks)

11
 Resting and sleeping well, travelling around to explore nature, joining an interest class
215 (Any reasonable answers are accepted)

17. Categorise the seven habits into two groups based on the given headings? (2 marks)
Relevant Habits
On self-management Habits: 1, 2, 3, 7
On interpersonal relationship Habits: 4, 5, 6

18. Which of the seven habits do you think is the most useful? Justify your answers with two
220 reasons. (2 marks)

I think Habit 7 is the most useful for the following reasons:

i) We need to have a healthy body and mind, as well as a balanced life to practise all the
other 6 habits.
225 ii) It is important to nourish oneself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually as people
in Hong Kong often live a busy life and forget to find time to take care of themselves.
(Other choices with valid reasons are acceptable)

19. Find words from Lines 55-68 that mean the same as the following. Use ONE word only for
230 each item. (5 marks)

Meaning Word in the text

(a) valuable thing asset (Line 60)
(b) deep profound (Line 63)
(c) difficult and unfavourable situation adversity (Line 65)
(d) everlasting timeless (Line 66)
(e) ability / power capacity (Line 67)

20. Why does the speaker end with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote? How is the quote related to the
content of the talk? (2 marks)
235 The quote is chosen to illustrate the importance of good habits. Good habits have huge
influence on one’s life and can change one’s character and destiny. The quote fits the content
of the book introduced in the talk (i.e. The 7 Habits of Effective Teens) and is, therefore, used in
to remind the audience to start small and develop good habits from today.

12
240 END OF SUGGESTED ANSWERS

Annotated Text

An alumnus of your school has returned to give a talk on a book that changes his life in the
245 Reading Week. Below is his speech on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean
Covey:

Principal, teachers and school brothers and sisters,

It is indeed my pleasure and honour to be invited by my alma mater to share with my Q4a
fellow school brothers and sisters a book that influences me most. I have racked my
brains to come up with a book that not only changes my life, but also speaks and Q1
5 relates to most of you here. After serious thoughts, I decide to introduce this title – The Q2
7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey.

Sean Covey is an American author and an expert in leadership training for organisations
and individuals. Sean Convey is famous for writing motivational books for children and
teens. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens is based on the principles laid down in the
10 ground-breaking and best-selling self-help book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Q3a
written by his father, Stephen Covey. Q4b

I read this book when I was in Secondary 6. Serving as the Chairperson of the Student Q4d
Union and Co-editor of the school magazine back then, I often felt stressed and lost, but Q5
the seven habits in the book really helped me to manage my time, relationships, studies
15 and life in general more effectively. Since then, these seven habits have become the Q6
principles and mottos of my life. For those of you who haven’t read the book, let me
share with you briefly what they are:

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Being proactive means more than taking initiative. It is about being the force of your life.
20 Proactive people believe they are the change agents, rather than the passive victims of
events – as the reactive people do. They choose to take action to achieve their goals, Q7
instead of reacting to the situations as they arise. They hold themselves responsible for
their results and own up to their mistakes. As they don’t lay the blame on others, they
have the power to fix the problems, change the outcomes and create a better future.

25 Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

We must set a clear goal in life before we can work towards it. A sports team never

25 13
 plays and practises without a purpose in mind, be it to win a game or to get an award. Q8
Similarly, individuals, families and organisations (such as a school) shape their future by
creating a common vision. All members then commit themselves to achieving it.
30 Defining your missions and goals in life helps you control your own destiny.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

Prioritise and do the most important things first. As parents always say to their kids,
“Work before your play!”. Putting first things first simply means – “I do things that I
HAVE to before I do things that I WANT to.” Of course, this also involves beating Q9
35 procrastination and managing attention. While spending time on the tasks that are most Q10
important, it is also necessary to stay focused to minimise distraction and off-task Q10
behaviours, so that you can get the important tasks done efficiently. Q10

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

Thinking win-win is a frame of mind and attitude that seeks mutual benefits. It is
40 opposite to thinking selfishly (i.e. win-lose) or submissively (i.e. lose-win). A win-win Q14b&c
mentality is built upon mutual respect in the social relationships. To achieve this, one
must think inter-dependently in terms of “we”, not “me”. Thinking win-win encourages Q14b&c
conflict resolution and helps individuals seek mutually beneficial solutions in Q11
negotiations. Q14a

45 Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

We have two ears and one mouth and we should therefore listen twice the time we
speak. When we listen with the intent to understand others, rather than with the intent to Q14d
speak, we begin true communication and relationship building. Seeking to understand Q14e
takes kindness, while seeking to be understood takes courage. The art of effective Q12
communication lies in balancing the two.
50
Habit 6: Synergise
There is an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go Q13
together.” Synergy is energy that expands through cooperation. “Synegetic” families,
teams and organisations thrive on individual strengths and come up with better ideas. Q14g
They can work more effectively and achieve more because of the value of teamwork. Q14h,
55 Q14f
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
The final habit reminds us to constantly refresh and upgrade ourselves, so that we can
create personal growth and positive changes in our life. We can renew ourselves Q15
physically through eating healthily and exercising; emotionally through socialising with
60 people; mentally through reading and learning; and spiritually through spending time in
self-reflection and meditation. In this way, we can enhance the greatest asset we have Q16

14
 (i.e. ourselves) and stay energised to practise all the other six habits. Q19a

I hope I have not given away the content too much and you will still be motivated to read
the book to find out the profound wisdom therein. Since I read the book 15 years ago, I
65 have been working hard to put these seven rules into practice. I re-read different Q19b
sections of the book from time to time, particularly in times of adversity and frustration,
to remind myself these timeless principles. In every re-reading, I am enlightened and Q19c
gain new insights. If you want to increase your capacity to manage yourself, interact Q19d
with people and handle the challenges around you, this is a book for you. Q19e

70 To end my book talk today, I would like to quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.
Q20
Let’s sow the seeds of success by forming the right habits today!

250 END OF ANNOTATED TEXT

15

30