文章大意:这是一篇说明文。最近的科学研究证明,这种对人格持久性的期望是错误的。通过正确的心理策略和足够的努力,许多人可以成功地将他们的核心个性塑造成他们想要的样子。文章介绍了研究开展的过程以及发现和意义:对于那些希望自己更善于交际、更有条理或更随遇而安的人来说,我们大脑意想不到的可塑性应该是个好消息。另一个潜在的好处是,意识到这项研究可以帮助改善心理健康。
Have you ever wished you could be better organised or more sociable? Perhaps you’re a constant worrier, and you’d prefer to be a little more carefree?
Many surveys show that at least two-thirds of people would like to change some elements of their personality. In the past, such desires appeared to be unachievable. Like the proverbial leopard that could never change its spots, our virtues and flaws were believed to be woven into the fabric of our minds.
Recent scientific research, however, proves this expectation of personality’s permanence wrong. With the right psychological strategies and enough effort, many people can successfully shape their core personalities into what they desire.
Our genes almost certainly play a role: it’s why people’s personalities often reflect their biological parents’ ones. The influence of our social environment was thought to end in early adulthood, as the brain reached maturity. If this were true, it wouldn’t be possible to shift personality at will. Yet that is exactly what psychology professor Nathan Hudson and his colleagues have shown with a series of groundbreaking studies.
The interventions in their studies typically involve arranging regular activities that reflect the personalities people wish to adopt. A quiet person who wished to be more outgoing, for example, might have the goal of introducing themselves to a stranger once a week, or making small talk with the cashier at their local supermarket.
The aim is for the thinking patterns and behaviours they generate to become habitual. In the first trial, provided participants actually completed those arranged tasks, their personalities shifted in the desired direction. Similarly exciting results could be seen in a later trial. The differences of participants’ personalities before and after the intervention were still apparent three months after the experiment had ended. As Aristotle argued more than 2,300 years ago, we become what we repeatedly do.
The unexpected plasticity of our minds should be good news for anyone who wishes they were a bit more sociable, organised, or happy-go-lucky. Another potential benefit is that awareness of this research could help improve mental health.
8. Why is “leopard” mentioned in paragraph 2?
A.To explain that our minds consist of virtues and flaws. |
B.To show the similarity between leopards and human beings. |
C.To prove a possibility that people can change their personality. |
D.To demonstrate the previous belief that personalities remain fixed. |
9. What can be inferred about the “interventions”?
A.The two trials reached different conclusions. | B.Activities are tailored to specific personalitites. |
C.The purpose is to better people’s personalities. | D.People’s personalities can be changed but can’t last. |
10. What has Nathan Hudson’s team shown through their studies?
A.The previous expectation of personality’s permanence was confirmed. |
B.The influence of our social environment ends when the brain matures. |
C.The desire to change some elements of our personality can be achieved. |
D.Our genes play a greater role in our personality than social environment. |
11. What is the best title for the text?
A.We Are What We Do | B.Habits Make Things Easier |
C.Your Personality Is Not Set In Stone | D.A Leopard Never Changes Its Spots |