Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
The New Year is the time for resolution. Mentally, at least most of us could compile formidable lists of 'do's and `don'ts'. The same old favorites recur year in and year out with the children, do a thousand and one job about the house, be nice to people we don't like, drive carefully, and take the dog for a walk every day. Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment. If we remain deep rooted liars, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure.
Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out. We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolution to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways. Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolution to myself. I limited myself to two modest ambitions, to do physical exercise every morning and to read more in the evening. An overnight party on New Year's Eve provided as with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on the first day of the year, but on the second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.
The daily exercise lasted only eleven minutes and I proposed to do them early in the morning before anyone had got up. The self-discipline required to drag myself out of bed eleven minutes earlier than usual was considerable. Nevertheless, I managed to creep down into the living room for two days before anyone found me out. After jumping about in the carpet and twisted the human frame into uncomfortable positions. I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition. It was this that betrayed me. The next morning the whole family trooped into watch the performance. That was really unsettling but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good humoredly and soon everybody got used to the idea. However, my enthusiasm waned, the time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. Little by little the eleven minutes fell to zero. By January 10th I was back to where I had started from. I argued that if I spent less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning. I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got home from work. Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to a book. One night, however, feeling cold and lonely. I went downstairs and sat in front of the television pretending to read. That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to the old bad habit of dozing off in front of the screen. I still haven't given up my resolution to do more reading. In fact, I have just bought a book entitled 'How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute'. Perhaps it will solve my problem, but I just have not had time to read it.

1. Why most of us fail in our efforts for self-improvement?
Most people fail in their efforts at self-improvement because their plans are either too ambitious (set unrealistic goals for themselves) or they don’t have enough time to take feasible actions in order to accomplish their goals.

2. Why is it a basic mistake to announce a resolution to everybody?
This is fundamental error that one can make. Usually, resolution is only known to person who makes it but by announcing it to everybody one opens the path of self-humiliation, when he fails to accomplish or deviate from the stated goals.

3. Why did the writer not carry out his resolution on New Year's Day?
Owing to the overnight party which writer attended, provided him with a good excuse for not carrying out either of his two resolutions on the first day of the year.

4. Find out the words in the above passage which convey the similar meaning to the following:

• Intimidating - Formidable
• Peril - Pitfall
• Dwindle - Waned, Diminish
• Repel - Fend(ed) off
• Barb - Taunts and jibes