And Alice said, “Curiouser and Curiouser!”
“Curiouser and curiouser!” this line from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in the Wonderland arouses the most interesting mix of mystery, exploration, discovery and fantasy of the new and unreal.
Curiosity can often be amusing in the real world: a baby monkey sliding off the branch as it curiously stretches out its hand towards a piece of red, juicy fruit.Then there is our own curious little cousin, intent on pushing a rock over and then equally excited by the worms crawling out.We can hear his cheerful claps — the curiosity effect! They are all set to explore and investigate what is around them.This childlike enthusiasm and interest in the world dribble away as they grow older and become more cautious.
Curiosity is one of our strongest instincts.We are born with it and follow its trail for a reason.It is to learn something we did not know, to understand something which is unusual, and to engage with something we have not come across before.The learning of the “new” sets us off on a path of discovery and innovation.Curiosity and exploration activates areas of the brain that are linked with learning and memory.An imaginative mind adds more neurons (神经元), which increases our brain power.The excitement of following our curiosity activates the chemical dopamine (多巴胺) in our brain.Dopamine? Think of it as the happy messenger that runs along the wiring of our brain like an excited cheerleader celebrating a victory! The labyrinths (迷宫) of our brain are complex and mysterious.We can get these neurons to buzz and crackle in tune with our imagination and exploration to aid in the development of a healthier brain.
Curiouser and curiouser, go follow the trail down the rabbit hole of exploration.The world awaits, and your brain will thank you for exercising its muscle!
1. What does the underlined words probably mean in the second paragraph?| A．Wear off | B．Give off. | C．Take off. | D．Cut off. |
| A．Dopamine can increase our brain power. |
| B．Dopamine can deliver happiness in our brain. |
| C．Dopamine can figure out the mystery of our brain. |
| D．Dopamine can activate our curiosity in our brain. |
| A．By making definitions. | B．By giving theories. |
| C．By showing benefits. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．Imagination is more important than knowledge. |
| B．Alice in the Wonderland is Lewis Carroll’s best seller. |
| C．Curiosity is a natural tendency for people and animal. |
| D．Curiosity is of great significance to us regardless of age. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The more curious we are about a topic, the easier it is to remember not only information about that topic, but also other unrelated information shown at the same time. A study published in 2014 in Neuron shows what happens inside our brains when our curiosity is sparked.
Participants in the study were asked to rate how curious they were to find out the answer to a specific question, such as: “What does the term ‘dinosaur’ actually mean?” They were then placed in a magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) machine that measures brain activity, based on changes in blood flow when the brain is performing certain tasks. They saw the question again followed by the image of a person’s face and were asked to make a specific decision about the person. Finally, they were shown the answer to the question. After the MRI scan, they completed a surprise test on the answers to the questions and also on their ability to recognize the faces shown during the scan.
The research revealed three key findings. Firstly, when curious to learn the answer to a question people are better at learning that information. Most surprising though was that participants had greater recall of the completely irrelevant information—such as the face - shown at the same time. Secondly, when curiosity is stimulated, the research found that there is increased activity in the region of the brain associated with memory. And lastly, there is increased activity in the regions of the brain associated with reward when curiosity is stimulated.
Behavioral neuroscientist Jee Hyun Kim said more could be done to see whether the different levels of curiosity and different motivations from person to person have an impact on memory and learning.
Amy Reichelt, a psychology expert, said both that “stimulating curiosity is really important across all ages, from schools to the workplace and to elderly care and that curiosity is especially helpful to children who struggle at school. ”
1. According to Paragraph 2, how did scientists learn about curiosity and the human brain?| A．Showing people a picture of a dinosaur while in an MRI machine. |
| B．Asking people to remember important events while in an MRI machine. |
| C．Giving people quizzes and used an MRI machine to score each of the tests. |
| D．Asking people questions while an MRI machine measured their brain activity. |
| A．important | B．unrelated | C．detailed | D．obvious |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Cautious. | C．Positive. | D．Passive. |
| A．The effect curiosity has on memory and learning. |
| B．The relationship between curiosity and motivation. |
| C．Motivation and rewards are more important than curiosity. |
| D．How rewards stimulate curiosity across all ages in learning. |
【推荐2】Children often learn new languages more easily than adults do, but it’s unclear why. Some theorize that grasping a language requires absorbing subtle patterns unconsciously and that adults’ superior conscious reasoning is to blame. New research suggests that, indeed, grown-ups might just be too smart for their own good.
For a recent study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, a group of Belgian adults at the same time read and heard strings of four made-up words (such as “kieng nief siet hiem”).
Specific consonants (辅音) always appeared at the beginning or end of a word if the word contained a certain vowel (元音). Participants next read the sequences aloud quickly. Their ability to avoid mistakes doing so indicated how well they absorbed the consonant-vowel patterns.
But before exposure to the new words, the participants had carried out a separate test: pressing keys to react to letters and numbers. Some got a much faster, more mentally draining version of this test.
Those who did the difficult version claimed greater mental exhaustion afterward-but performed better on the following language task. The researchers assume that tired learners used less conscious analysis on the word rules: they were free to learn like a child.
For a related paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, the research team had English-speaking adults listen to streams of syllables (音节) secretly grouped into three-syllable “words.” Later, they played pairs of three-syllable units; one word in the pair came from the stream, and one was a new combination. The participants guessed which word was familiar, then rated their confidence.
In one participant group, some had first done the original mentally draining test. In another, some had received magnetic pulses to interrupt activity in a brain area that previous research has linked to executive control. In both groups, these measures improved participants’ performance on the syllable task when they were unsure about their answers, indicating unconscious analysis of speech. Neuroscientist Michael Ullman, who was not involved in either paper, likes that both the studies added to mental burden differently and measured different skills. That’s really good in science because you’ve got evidences pointing to the same direction,” he says, adding that he would like to see higher language skills such as grammar studied this way.
1. The reason why some Belgians were given a more difficult test before the language task was that .| A．they would have no time to prepare for the upcoming task |
| B．they would be too tired mentally to consciously analyze the rules |
| C．they could have something to refer to in the following task |
| D．they might compare the difficulty level of the two tasks |
| A．They relied more upon conscious analysis. |
| B．They identified more familiar combinations. |
| C．They performed the task less confidently. |
| D．They were less able to control emotions. |
| A．The research result is not solid until grammar is included. |
| B．Subconscious mind remains to be explored in science. |
| C．The outcomes of the two researches back each other up |
| D．More evidence is needed to back the claim of the two papers. |
| A．Human brain processes languages in multiple ways. |
| B．Conscious analysis is the key to mastering a language. |
| C．Increasing mental health improves one’s language. |
| D．Reducing reasoning may help to learn a language. |
【推荐3】Robots have long been drawing inspiration from animals, with the creation of robot dogs or snake-shaped robots. And yet, the field of robotics is far less enthusiastic about the other kind of living things—plants. Barbara Mazzolai, an Italian roboticist owes this to a misconception about plant behavior: that they cannot move or think. “It’s not true at all,” she says. To challenge this view, Dr Mazzolai and her team recently launched a machine called “FiloBot”, a robot based on a climbing species.
To survive, a climbing plant must switch between several different behaviors. In forest environments, it must first grow out of the soil and travel along the ground in search of a support to hold onto, such as a nearby tree. Once a support is located, though, the plant fixes itself around the object and then growing towards the light. To choose the best angle to grow upwards, a climbing plant uses its shoots(芽) to receive information about light and gravity.
FiloBot has sensors on its main shoot. It can 3D-print its body with plastic and grow at a controllable rate. These functions, researchers found, enabled FiloBot to cross gaps, and find things to attach to. The lack of heavy on-board computing device means that it is light and requires minimal care, while its slow pace means that it doesn’t disturb things around it, making it possible to move through a complex, unseen environment, or monitoring disaster sites.
For now, FiloBot is still being tested. Its tendrils(卷须) have not left the laboratory. Still, it has already been employed in deconstructing plant behaviour. For example, it was long assumed that climbing plants find their supports by growing towards shade, though the exact mechanism was unclear. FiloBot could imitate this behaviour by detecting far-red light, which is typical of shaded areas, providing clues to how plants do it.
Dr Mazzolai hopes that such projects will inspire other roboticists to take their cues from plants and develop completely new technologies.
1. What does the misconception about plants in the field of robotics focus on?| A．Their shapes. | B．Their diversity. |
| C．Their body language. | D．Their capabilities. |
| A．It moves quickly. | B．It has a solid metal body. |
| C．It adapts to different environment. | D．It is attached to huge computers. |
| A．The limitations of FiloBot. | B．The current use of FiloBot. |
| C．The components of FiloBot. | D．The unique feature of FiloBot’s design. |
| A．A Role Model for Robotics Research |
| B．A Glimpse into the World of Robotics |
| C．A Plant-Inspired Innovation in Robotics |
| D．A Misunderstanding of the Plant Kingdom |
【推荐1】There are a lot of names for people who travel the world—backpackers, tourists, explorers, travelers. Labels (标签) are everywhere but seem especially popular among travelers trying to differentiate (区别) their style of travel. For many travelers, these labels make them feel better over another.
Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods once said, “Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.” The idea here is that travelers are better at exploring the world than tourists. They dig deep into the culture, drink it up, and get to know a place while a tourist takes pictures and declares to have “done Paris.”
But that’s wrong, we are all tourists.
On the road, backpackers love to talk about how real their travels are and how unreal tourists are. “Look at those tourists over there,” they say. They scoff at others who travel too quickly or to places that they think are not well worth visiting. Nevertheless, they do so while eating hamburgers and drinking beers with other travelers.
The only way to really get to know a place deeply is to live there. If you want to live like a local, find an apartment, get a job, go to work, and do the same things as you did back home.
We are all only passing through a culture, getting a small taste before moving on to the next place. Even if we stay weeks or months, we’re just getting in touch with the surface. As a matter of fact, we are all really just tourists, or explorers, or travelers. Call yourself whatever you want—it’s all the same as we’re all trying to do the same thing—see the world.
So don’t label anyone and don’t let anyone label you. We’re all tourists. We’re all travelers. What we are all doing is more important than what we call ourselves. Let’s just enjoy the fact that we are simply people on the road.
1. The purpose of Andrew Zimmern’s words in Paragraph 2 is to ________.| A．present amazing experiences | B．tell travelers from tourists |
| C．get to know different people | D．give an example of misunderstanding |
| A．laugh at | B．model after |
| C．take notice of | D．agree with |
| A．They live like locals while traveling. |
| B．They have a brief experience of places. |
| C．They enjoy tasty food on the way. |
| D．They like calling themselves explorers. |
| A．Explore deep into cultures. |
| B．Make a detailed trip schedule. |
| C．Just enjoy the trip on the road. |
| D．Simply be more a traveller than a tourist |
【推荐2】Ireland and Lithuania have much in common. Both are small, Catholic, Europhile, enjoy a tricky relationship with a larger neighbour and have cuisines heavy on potatoes. Both also left it late when it came to homosexual rights. Homosexual acts were decriminalised only in 1993 in both countries. But since then, things have diverged. Merely living without fear would be an improvement: 84% of LGBT people in Lithuania are not comfortable revealing their identity.
Where an iron curtain once split Europe, a rainbow curtain now divides the continent. In western Europe, homosexual people enjoy a quality of life better than anywhere on the planet. They are free to marry and adopt children, and are protected from discrimination in all walks of life. Things in eastern Europe are not so good. In seven EU countries, including Poland, Hungary and Romania, less than half the population agree that homosexual people should have the same rights as straight ones. civil partnerships are not offered in six EU countries, all in central and eastern Europe. Poland has introduced “LGBTz-free zones”, a legally meaningless gimmick with the practical effect of declaring open season on gay people. Meanwhile, Hungary is working on a law that will ban gay couples from adopting. For gay people behind the Rainbow curtain—which covers about a quarter of the EU’s population—life can be grim.
Since family law is mainly up to member states, there is little the EU can do if a member state wants to stop a lesbian marrying or a homosexual couple adopting. Where Brussels can muscle in is when the right to free movement collides with bigoted domestic law. What happens if a gay couple and their child move to a country where such relationships are not recognised? The European Commission wants to smooth out these bumps, ensuring that the link between children and their gay parents is not severed if they move to a country where gay adoption is banned. While few are affected directly, such a move has potent symbolic power. Definitions of online hate speech will be widened to include homophobic abuse, too. Towns that introduced LGBT-free zones in Poland had EU funds cut. But the main thing the EU can offer is a pulpit, hammering those leaders who refuse to treat citizens equally.
Such banging of the drum for gay rights by Brussels does come with a risk. It is a fight both sides want to have. Normally, populists rely on caricatures when taking aim at Brussels. In this case there is less need. Populist politicians will claim that the EU is doing all it can to force countries to treat gay people better. EU officials will happily plead guilty. A common complaint is that eastern Europe is expected to go through decades of social change in the space of a few years. Change can happen quickly, though. Ireland enjoyed a social revolution in less than a generation, and Malta passed a slew of legislation that helped it become the most gay-friendly country in the EU in just a few years. There are few complaints about the pace of transformation in central and eastern Europe when it comes to living standards.
With the EU cowering (退缩) beneath a second wave of covid-19 cases and in the middle of its biggest-ever recession (经济衰退), a fight over gay rights could easily fall down the pecking order. It should not. The EU has made much of promoting “European values”. Usually, these tend to mean a respect for the rule of law, which is hardly inherently European. When it comes to gay rights, however, Europe has genuinely been a pioneer. Until a gay person in Vilnius or Budapest has the same rights as one in Dublin or Madrid, European values are no such thing at all.
1. Which can best paraphrase the underlined part“LGBT people”？| A．Less privileged people in terms of their identity or status |
| B．Less mainstreamed people in terms of their sexual orientation |
| C．Less persistent people who pursue castles built in the open air |
| D．Less self-esteemed people who compromise to comfortable zones |
| A．In contrast to Western Europe,Eastern Europe took loose measures with liberal minds |
| B．The views of homosexual rights are controversial and distinct across the Europe. |
| C．The EU Commission tend to carry homo-couple through obstacles but in vain. |
| D．The EU Commission revised the institutions to guarantee the transcontinental events well tackled |
| A．Convention → Liberation →Approval |
| B．Revolution → Innovation → Pioneer |
| C．Negotiation → Cooperation → Equality |
| D．Discrimination → Struggle → Victory |
| A．European Gap:How they Cooperate? |
| B．Homosexual Openness: Prejudices Withdrawn |
| C．Joint Continents: EU is on the way |
| D．Rainbow Curtain: Peek at the current case. |
【推荐3】It was a comfortable sunny Sunday. I was going to meet an old university friend I hadn't seen for years, and was really excited.
My train was running a little late, but that was no big problem - I could text him to say I would be delayed. He would understand. But… where was my mobile phone? I had that familiar sinking feeling. Yes, I'd left it at home.
No mobile phone. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling anxious, on edge and worried when I don't have my phone with me. In fact, I know I'm not alone: two-thirds of us experience ‘nomophobia’ (无手机恐惧症), the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.
That's according to a study from 2012 which surveyed 1,000 people in the UK about their relationship with mobile phones.
It says we check our mobile phones 34 times a day, and that 18-24 year-olds, especially girls, are the most likely to suffer fear of being without their mobiles: 77% of them say they are unable to be apart from their phones for more than a few minutes.
Do you have nomophobia ?
• You never turn your phone off
• You frequently(频繁地) check for texts, missed calls and emails
• You always take your phone to the bathroom with you
• You never let the battery run out
It's funny to think that around 20 years ago the only people with mobile phones would be businessmen carrying their large, plastic ‘bricks’. Of course, these days, mobile phones are everywhere. A UN study from this year said there would be more mobile phones than people across the world by the end of 2020.
And when there are more phones than people in the world, maybe it's time to ask who really is in charge(主管)? Are you in control of your phone, or does your phone control you?
So, what happened with my university friend? When I arrived a few minutes late he just laughed and said: "You haven't changed at all – still always late!" And we had a great afternoon catching up, full of jokes and stories, with no desire(欲望) to check my phone.
Not having it with me felt strangely free. Maybe I'll leave it at home on purpose next time.
1. What does the passage talk about?| A．The history of mobile phones. |
| B．The story of meeting an old university friend. |
| C．The attraction of playing mobile phone. |
| D．The terrible feeling of being without their mobiles. |
| A．energetic | B．nervous |
| C．brilliant | D．amazed |
| A．Worried | B．Positive |
| C．Neutral | D．Negative |
| A．a successful manager | B．a 21-year-old girl |
| C．a 21-year-old boy | D．a lonely middle-aged person |
