Repent Your Cigarettes

MCU #10 應英職二乙
93659133 蔡小翠
Time: Th :20:20-22:05
Repent Your Cigarettes
Recently, I joined a program called Smokenders. Previously, I had
(Point of view: first person)
smoked one pack of cigarettes a day for seven years. However, by
（Transitional）
using behavior modification techniques, I was able to stop
（Verb tense : past）
smoking within five weeks.（Introduction） During the eight-week process, three unpleasant effects occurred: muddle- headedness, weight gain, and impatience.（Thesis statement） However, I managed to follow the rules of the program and finally
（Transitional）
abolished cigarettes from my life.
Muddleheadedness was the first effect to plague my body.（Topic sentence） During the third week, I had cut down on nicotine considerably: Ignorant about physiology, I paid little attention to the moderator as she warned of forgetfulness, drowsiness, and slurred speech. It was not until the fourth week, when I became fatigued and absent¬minded, that I appreciated the warning. I was relieved to know: that I was not having a nervous breakdown. Nevertheless, on the tennis court I experienced an
（Transitional）
unpleasant symptom, which alarmed me and rekindled a strong desire to smoke. The fuzzy chartreuse tennis balls started to blur, and the racket fell from my hand during the middle of the game. Unable to reorient myself with the aid of a cigarette, I continued playing while trying desperately to focus on the ball. Suddenly, I stood staring aimlessly like a chi ld ready to burst into tears when he is lost in a shopping center during the Christmas season.（Specific story） Later that week, I encountered problems with my speech. Occasionally, I would drool, lose control of my lips,
（Transitional）
and utter unintelligible words.（Supporting details） My mind vacillated between getting an instant cure from a cigarette and enduring these almost ludicrous, I intolerable symptoms. Although
（Transitional）
my befuddlement seemed felt confident that my body would restore itself.（Concluding sentence）
The next result of my decision to stop smoking was weight gain.（Topic sentence） I was into the fifth or cut-off week when tapering off ended and smoking "zero" began. Cigarettes had always served as rewards for finishing menial tasks; however, now
（Transitional）
I was without those daily recompenses. Not long after my cut-off day, I invented several concoctions which served as new rewards. A few of these treats were hot-fudge sundaes with mounds of whipped cream and nuts, apple pies with freshly sliced pippin apples and homemade butter crust, and croissants from the French bakery down the street. Self-pity and self-denial were often the culprits behind my nightly excursions to the refrigerator. I soon found myself saddled with the double problem of being an overweight smoker. My body looked like an army tank, and yet I continued consuming at the rate of an elephant. （Specific fact）（Supporting details） I was quite aware of my compulsive eating and the motivation or it. However, merely being aware was not
（Transitional）
enough. I seriously considered taking up smoking again, but instead I decided to treat the problems separately.（Concluding sentence）
A subsequent effect of not .smoking was my low tolerance for unproductive situation's and other people. （Topic sentence） By now I was in the seventh week of Smokenders and in my second week as a non-smoker. My relationships with close friends and acquaintances, which I thought I had understood, were now more clearly defined and circumscribed. Cigarettes were unhealthy pacifiers which had allowed me to tolerate inconclusive committee meetings and boring stories of my friends' self-obsessed sex-lives. Jane, a long-time friend, would often come by to converse because she found me attentive. She is very amusing at times and can carryon an intelligent conversation. Unfortunately, there are times
（Transitional）
when I would rather amuse myself than listen to her ramble about her social problems, conflict at work, and the incompetent individuals of the world. Playing the role of her "surrogate husband" is far from entertaining and totally unbearable without the diversion of cigarettes. On this occasion, I told her impatiently that I enjoyed the world, thought she should be happy to have a decent¬paying job, and found most people not only able but delightful. Although my remarks were pure overstatement, I
（Transitional）
realized that I had usually placed cigarettes between other people and myself.（Specific story）（Supporting details） Physically and mentally, cigarettes had removed me sufficiently from mundane conversations and boring or antagonistic people so that I was. not upset by them. Although my newly developed abruptness
（Transitional）
and low tolerance with my friends have been unpleasant, these reactions have also been instrumental in helping me to evaluate the basis of my relationships. （Concluding sentence）
Fortunately, these three unpleasant effects of quitting smoking
（Transitional）
We’re only temporary. Now, in my second month as a non-smoker, my body has restored itself naturally,. and I have lost the fifteen pounds. Although a few of my friends remain distant, I have gained awareness about my behaviors. Thanks to Smokenders, I lost. a bad habit and 'gained new insights.（Concluding）



Source of material: personal experience
Repent Your Cigarettes

Recently, I joined a program called Smokenders. Previously, I had smoked one pack of cigarettes a day for seven years. However, by using behavior modification techniques, I was able to stop smoking within five weeks. During the eight-week process, three unpleasant effects occurred: muddleheadedness, weight gain, and impatience. However, I managed to follow the rules of the program and finally abolished cigarettes from my life.
Muddleheadedness was the first effect to plague my body. During the third week, I had cut down on nicotine considerably: Ignorant about physiology, I paid little attention to t.he moderator as she warned of forgetfulness, drowsiness, and slurred speech. It was not until the fourth week, wh~n I became fatigued and absent¬minded, that I appreciated the warning. I was reliev"ed to know: that I was not having a nervous breakdown. Nevertheless, on. the tennis court I experienced an unpleasant symptom, which alarmed me and rekindled a strong desire to smoke. The fuzzy chartreuse tennis balls started to blur, and the racket fell from my hand during the middle of the game. Unable to reorient myself with the aid of a cigarette, I continued playing while trying desperately to focus on the ball. Suddenly, I stood staring aimlessly like a chi ld ready to burst into tears when he is lost in a shopping center during the Christmas season. Later that week, I encountered problems with my speech. Occasionally, I would drool, lose control of my lips, and utter unintelligible words. My mind vacillated between getting an instant cure from a cigarette and enduring these almost ludicrous, I intolerable symptoms. Although my befuddlement seemed felt confident that my body would restore itself.

The next result of my decision to stop smoking was weight gain. I was into the fifth or cut-off week when tapering off ended and smoking "zero" began. Cigarettes had always served as rewards for finishing menial tasks; however, now I was without those daily recompenses. Not long after my cut-off day, I invented several concoctions which served as new rewards. A few of these treats were hot-fudge sundaes wi th mounds of whipped cream and nuts, apple pies with freshly sliced pippin apples and homemade butter crust, and croissants from the French bakery down the street. Self-pity and self-denial were often the culprits behind my nightly excursions to the refrigerator. I soon found myself saddled with the double problem of being an overweight smoker. My body looked like an army tank, and yet I continued consuming at the rate of an elephant. I was quite aware of my compulsive eating and the motivation for it. However, merely being aware was not enough. I seriously considered taking up smoking again, but instead I decided to treat the problems separately.
A subsequent effect of not .smoking was my low tolerance for unproductive situation's and other people. By now I was in the seventh week of Smokenders and in my second week as a non-smoker. My relationships with close friends and acquaintances, which I thought I had understood, were now more clearly def ined and circumscribed. Cigarettes were unhealthy pacifiers which had allowed me to tolerate inconclusive committee meetings and boring stories of my friends' self-obsessed sex-lives. Jane, a long-time friend, would often come by to converse because she found me attentive. She is very amusing at times and can carryon an intelligent conversation. Unfortunately, there are times when I would rather amuse mysel f' than listen to her ramble about her social problems, conflict at work, and the incompetent individuals of the world. Playing the role of her "surrogate husband" is far from entertaining and totally unbearable without the diversion of cigarettes. On this occasion, I told her impatiently that I enjoyed the world, thought she should be happy to have a decent¬paying job, and found most people not only able but delightful. Although my remarks were pure overstatement, I realized that I had usually placed cigarettes between other people and myself. Physically and mentally, cigarettes had removed me sufficiently from mundane conversations and boring or antagonistic people so'that I was. not upset by them. Although my newly developed abruptness and low tolerance with my friends have been unpleasant, these reactions have also been instrumental in helping me to evaluate the basis of my relationships.

Fortunately, these three unpleasant effects of quitting smoking we.re only temporary. Now, in my second month as a non-smoker, my body has re'stored itself naturally,. and I have lost the fifteen pounds. Although a few of my friends remain distant, I have gained awareness about my behaviors. Thanks to Smokenders, I lost. a bad habit and 'gained new insights.



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