سؤال اليوم — اختبار STEP

Read the passage and answer the question. (1) Almost everyone has delayed an important task at some point, choosing to tidy a desk or watch one more video instead of starting an assignment. This habit, known as procrastination, is often blamed on laziness or poor time management. Psychologists, however, increasingly see it as a problem of managing emotions rather than time. (2) According to this view, people put off tasks that make them feel bad: bored, anxious, confused or afraid of failing. Avoiding the task brings immediate relief, which rewards the behaviour and makes it more likely to happen again. The relief does not last, though. As the deadline approaches, stress rises, and the work is often completed in a rush, with poorer results. (3) Interestingly, procrastination is closely linked to perfectionism. People who set extremely high standards for themselves may delay starting because they fear their work will not be good enough. Waiting until the last minute also gives them a ready excuse if the result is disappointing: "I didn't have enough time." (4) Researchers have identified several strategies that help. One is to break a large task into small, specific steps, such as "write the first paragraph" rather than "write the essay". Another is the "five-minute rule": committing to work on a task for just five minutes, after which one is free to stop. In practice, getting started is usually the hardest part, and many people keep going once they begin. (5) Finally, studies suggest that being kind to oneself is surprisingly effective. In one study, students who forgave themselves for procrastinating before one exam were less likely to procrastinate before the next, perhaps because they no longer connected studying with guilt. Question: The phrase "put off" in paragraph 2 means