Use of English - Multiple Choice

What Drives Motivation?

Psychologists have long tried to explain why some people persist with difficult tasks while others give up at the first sign of trouble. One widely accepted (0) THEORY is that motivation depends not only on talent, but also on whether people believe their efforts will eventually pay off. In practice, this means that goals need to be challenging enough to be meaningful, yet realistic enough to remain within (1) .......... . Another important factor is feedback. People are far more likely to stay engaged if they can see evidence of progress, however slight. This is why large aims are often broken (2) .......... smaller stages: each completed step provides a sense of achievement and encourages further effort. Social influences also play a part. Praise can strengthen commitment, but constant comparison with others may have the opposite (3) .........., especially if it leads to self-doubt. Researchers also point out that motivation is rarely fixed. It tends to (4) .......... according to circumstances, energy levels and previous experience. Someone who has suffered repeated failure may become unwilling to take risks, even when success is perfectly (5) .......... . For this reason, many experts argue that resilience should be taught alongside ambition. In the end, motivation is not simply a matter of willpower; it is shaped by habits, expectations and the meaning people (6) .......... to success. If individuals learn to focus on steady progress rather than immediate perfection, they are more likely to (7) .......... with setbacks and remain committed over time. In that sense, lasting motivation may depend less on intensity than on the ability to (8) .......... effort in the long term.