1 . In 1970s, a psychologist named J. P. Guilford conducted a famous study of creativity known as the nine-dot puzzle (九点谜题). He challenged research subjects to connect all nine dots using just four straight lines without lifting their pencils from the page. All the participants limited the possible solutions to those within the imaginary square. Only 20 percent managed to break out of the confinement (束缚) and continue their lines in the white space surrounding the dots.
The fact that 80 percent of the participants were effectively blinded by the boundaries of the square led Guilford to jump to the sweeping conclusion that creativity requires you to go outside the box. The idea went viral. Overnight, it seemed that creativity experts everywhere were teaching managers how to think outside the box. The concept enjoyed such strong popularity that no one bothered to check the facts. No one, that is, before two different research teams-Clarke Burnham with Kenneth Davis, and Joseph Alba with Robert Weisberg-ran another experiment.
Both teams followed the same way of dividing participants into two groups. The first group was given the same instructions as the participants in Guilford’s experiment. The second group was told that the solution required the lines to be drawn outside the imaginary box. Guess what? Only 25 percent solved the puzzle. In statistical terms, this 5 percent improvement is insignificant as this could be called sampling error.
Let’s look a little more closely at the surprising result. Solving this problem requires people to literally think outside the box. Yet participants’ performance was not improved even when they were given specific instructions to do so. That is, direct and clear instructions to think outside the box did not help. That this advice is useless should effectively have killed off the much widely spread — and therefore, much more dangerous — metaphor (比喻) that out-of-the-box thinking boosts creativity. After all, with one simple yet brilliant experiment, researchers had proven that the conceptual link between thinking outside the box and creativity was a misunderstanding.
1. What did the nine-dot puzzle study focus on?| A．Visual perception. |
| B．Thinking patterns. |
| C．Practical experience. |
| D．Theoretical knowledge. |
| A．To test the catchy concept. |
| B．To contradict the initial idea. |
| C．To collect supporting evidence |
| D．To identify the underlying logic. |
| A．Groundless. | B．Inspiring. | C．Fruitless. | D．Revealing. |
| A．Puzzle Solving: A Key To Creativity |
| B．Thinking Outside the Box: A Misguided Idea |
| C．Nine-Dot Puzzle: A Magic Test |
| D．Creative Thinking: We Fell For The Trap |
2 . The Ancient Chinese Game of Go
Weiqi, known in English as Go, is one of the four skills that an ancient Chinese intellectual (知识分子) could possess. It has a history of well over 4,000 years in China and remains popular. Culturally, this activity is really “more than just a game”.
History books have recorded quite a number of ardent Go fans from each dynasty. Today, there are still many in China, Japan and South Korea. Wu Yulin, a professional, explains its attraction, “In Go, you can learn the dialectics (辩证法) and military stratagems.
In fact, all of our minds can benefit from playing Go, which officially has the capacity to make you smarter. Research has shown that children who play Go have the potential for greater intelligence.
Today, the number of Go fans in China is at 36 million and rising. Some universities like Beijing University are even offering courses in Go to undergraduates.
| A．There’s always loss and gain. |
| B．It’s a war between equal powers. |
| C．That is because it motivates both the right and left sides of the brain. |
| D．You can also cultivate your character and improve your intelligence. |
| E．But more often, ancient Chinese played Go to cultivate their mind and character. |
| F．The influence of Go on Chinese society is quite evident in literature works. |
| G．Many people also love this ancient game for the Chinese philosophy it contains. |
3 . It may not be rocket science, but researchers have found aerospace engineers and neurosurgeons (神经外科医生) are not necessarily brighter than the general population.
Researchers examined data from an international group of 329 aerospace engineers and 72 brain surgeons who completed 12 tasks online using the Great British Intelligence Test.
The tasks examined various aspects of cognition (认知), including planning and reasoning, working memory, attention, and emotion processing abilities. The researchers then compared the results against those previously gathered from more than 18,000 members of the British public.
The findings, which were recently published, reveal that only neurosurgeons showed a significant difference, with quicker problem-solving speed but slower memory recall compared with the general population. “The difference in problem-solving speed exhibited by neurosurgeons might arise from the fast-paced nature of neurosurgery, which attracts those with a pre-existing talent for rapid processing, or it could be, though less likely, a product of training for rapid decision-making in time-critical situations,” the researchers noted.
The researchers said the study was, in part, carried out to lay to rest the question of whether one of the professions had the intellectual upper hand-a tension made famous by a comedy show in which a confident neurosurgeon is slapped down by an aerospace expert who says, “Brain surgery... it’s not exactly rocket science, is it?”
However, the team found few differences between the cognitive abilities of aerospace engineers and neuroscientists, although the results suggest the former had higher scores for attention and mental control—such as turning objects in one’s head—while neurosurgeons showed higher scores in semantic (语义的) problem solving—such as definitions of rare words.
“Essentially what we think it shows is that everyone has a range of skills, some people are better at some things and other people are better at other things, and it is very difficult to be better in everything across the board,” said Aswin Chari, an author of the study.
1. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?| A．The research subjects. | B．The research method. |
| C．The research aspects. | D．The research background. |
| A．Fast development of neurosurgery. | B．Talent of neurosurgeons. |
| C．Training for rapid decision-making. | D．Nature of problem solving. |
| A．attempted to answer the question asked by the aerospace expert in the show |
| B．were eager to solve the conflicts between neurosurgeons and aerospace engineers |
| C．intended to settle the argument over the intellectual superiority of the two professions |
| D．wanted to find out which of the two professions was more intellectually demanding |
| A．To inform people of the results of a cognitive study. |
| B．To encourage people to be confident in themselves. |
| C．To reduce prejudice against certain professions. |
| D．To correct misunderstandings about intelligence. |
4 .
| Hope Book Club A book club is a small group of persons that are reading the same book in order to share different feelings and opinions about the book. The book club meets once a month for an hour of lively discussion. All students (3+), teachers and parents are welcome! Here you can discover a new world, learn new ideas and make new friends! What you should do:★You will read the book on your own and then discuss your reading in the book club. ★You must keep up with your reading so that you can join as a part of your group. The book club will decide what pages or chapters you will read. ★You should take down notes and thoughts as you read. ★Everyone in the book club is expected to join in the discussion. More tips: ★Keep our place clean. ★No pets and no smoking. ★Take good care of books and return them on time. ★You must ask for leave if you cannot join in the discussion. Fees: Kids from 3—7: Free; Kids from 8—18: 10 dollars a month; Adults: 15 dollars a month. If you are interested, call 487-256-656 or 487-266-545, send an email to hopebook@yahoo.com or visit our website at www.hopebookclub.com. |
| A．30 dollars. | B．60 dollars. | C．75 dollars. | D．90 dollars |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Books aren’t allowed to be taken out of the club. |
| B．Joining in the discussion is encouraged in the club. |
| C．You can choose your favourite books to read in the club. |
| D．The members in the club don’t have to finish what they need to read. |
5 . Top Theme Parks and Amusement Parks in Australia
Magic Mountain Merimbula
Located in the town of Merimbula, this small theme park is situated on the Sapphire Coast. There are multiple attractions in this place including Kiddie Splash Pool, Magic Carpet Slide and the Diamond Pyth on Roller Coaster. You can buy souvenirs from the gift shops for friends and family back home.
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm
Price: $90 per person
The Big Banana Fun Park
The Big Banana Fun Park is located in the city of Coffs Harbour and it boasts a large walk-through banana. Guests can go roller skating at the ice-skating rink, enjoy water slides and play golf.
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 9 am to 5 pm
Price: $25 per adult (age 13-99); $15 per child (age 1-12)
Wet Wild Gold Coast
Owned and operated by the Village Roadshow Theme Parks, this park features 17 water slides, 4 pools, and 2 children’s areas. If you are traveling during the winter season, there is nothing to worry as the pools and slides are heated according to your convenience.
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
Price: $24 per person
Big Splash Waterpark
Featuring nine slides, a 50-meter (164 feet) pool, and kiddie pools, this park is a perfect spot to chill when the sun is out. Being one of the oldest theme parks in Australia, it boasts the famous Jammo Pool.
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 10 am to 6 pm
Price: $150 per adult (age 13-99); 40% discount per child (age 1-12)
Enjoy with your kids at one of the theme parks in Australia.
1. What can visitors do in The Big Banana Fun Park?| A．Ride on a roller coaster. | B．Play golf. |
| C．Buy gifts. | D．Taste big bananas. |
| A．$60. | B．$90. | C．$120. | D．$180. |
| A．Parents. | B．Children. | C．Guides. | D．Swimmers. |
It was a day just like every other day. I woke up early in the morning and went to run on Mount Gracious with my dog, Bubbles. As I ran up the mountain, with my dog following close behind, I felt energetic and refreshed. Running in a natural environment never failed to make me feel alive. When I reached the top, I drank some water and enjoyed the beautiful sunrise. This scene always took my breath away, no matter how many times I had seen it.
Having rested enough, Bubbles and I made our way back down the mountain. As we were running downhill, I saw an unfamiliar path and decided to explore the area. The path was full of rocks. It was not easy to walk.
Suddenly, I slipped on a muddy patch, rolling down five meters before I managed to grab hold of an exposed root of a huge tree. I was safe for now. However, I was seriously injured. My knees were badly hurt. My right foot was also dislocated (脱臼). I knew for sure I would be unable to make my way up or down the mountain without help. I called out to Bubbles and he barked loudly from above. It seemed like he understood that I needed help. He looked down at me pitifully before disappearing from sight.
As night fell, panic (恐慌) set in and scary thoughts went through my mind. There were many things that I had got to do. I couldn't die! This would not have happened if I had stuck to my usual path.
I was losing hope when I heard barking. It was Bubbles. I rubbed my eyes as I struggled to keep awake. But there was silence. Who could it be? Was I hallucinating (产生幻觉)? Then I heard some voices and more barking. Yes. Help was near, I knew. I could count on my dog to get help.
注意：
1．续写词数应为150左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Soon, I heard my parents calling my name.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Later, my parents told me what Bubbles had done to get help.
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7 . The 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their work on mRNA vaccines (疫苗), a crucial tool in holding back the spread of COVID-19.
Karikó,68, is from Hungary. In the 1970s, she began studying a new area of research: messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA is a special molecule (分子) which carries instructions that tell cells what proteins to make. Proteins are one of the building blocks of life. They’re involved in almost every process in living things, from fighting diseases to building muscles to helping our bodies work. Karikó was excited about the idea that mRNA could be used to help the body fight many different diseases.
In 1985, Karikó moved to America to continue her research. In 1989, she joined the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) in Philadelphia as a scientist. But as time went on, the initial excitement surrounding mRNA research started to disappear, and other scientists thought it was too financially risky to fund. Karikó had trouble getting money for her research. She even got a pay cut from the school. What’s worse, at this time, she suffered from cancer. But she stuck at it.
Karikó got to know another UPenn scientist, Drew Weissman in the late 1990s while photocopying research papers. He was hoping to find a way to create a vaccine for a disease known as HIV. The two began talking and soon decided to work together.
One of the biggest problems in using mRNA as a medicine was that the human body saw mRNA as an enemy and fought it off. Together, they came up with an approach to treating mRNA．In 2005, they published their key discovery: mRNA could be changed and delivered effectively into the body to activate (激活) the body’s protective immune system. Thanks to their work, companies were able to develop mRNA vaccines far more quickly than ever before, which have saved millions of lives around the world.
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about regarding mRNA?| A．Its reflections on health. | B．Its main components. |
| C．Its threats to proteins. | D．Its research values. |
| A．He met Karikó by accident. | B．He applied mRNA to HIV. |
| C．He invited Karikó to UPenn. | D．He helped discover mRNA. |
| A．Their idea on how to recognize COVID-19 fast. |
| B．Their method of testing the mRNA vaccines’ effect. |
| C．Their way to make the human body accept mRNA. |
| D．Their experiment of activating the immune system. |
| A．We should pursue excellence in our careers. |
| B．Creativity results from challenging authority. |
| C．Scientists’ work follows technological trends. |
| D．Success comes from a lasting desire to explore. |
8 . With the help of new devices on mice, scientists are using light to switch nerve cells on and off in mice’s brains to explore the animals’ social behavior, a new study shows.
The new devices rely on optogenetics(光遗传学), a technique in which researchers use bursts of light to stimulate or control the brain nerve cells, often using tailored viruses to genetically correct cells so they respond to light. Scientists have applied optogenetics to explore neural(神经的) circuits in mice and other lab animals to come to a conclusion on how they might work in humans. Optogenetic devices often feed light to neurons via fiber-optic cables, but such things can influence natural behaviors and social interactions. While scientists recently developed implantable(可植入的) wireless optogenetic devices, these depend on relatively simple remote controls or limited sets of preprogrammed instructions.
These new fully implantable optogenetic devices can enable more complex research. Specifically, the researchers can adjust each device’s programming during the course of experiment. “So you can target what an animal does in a much more complex way,” says Genia Kozorovitskiy, a researcher at Northwestern University.
These devices are battery-free, wirelessly powered by the same high-frequency radio waves used to remotely control the intensity, duration and timing of the light pulses. The devices also allow scientists to control four different neural circuits in an animal simultaneously, thanks to LEDs that give out four colors——blue, green, yellow and red——instead of just one.
The widely available wireless technology used in this work, the same now used in contactless payment with credit cards, could allow broad adoption across the neuroscience community “without extensive specialized hardware”, says Philipp Gutruf at the University of Arizona. “That means that we might see these devices in many labs in the near future, enabling new discoveries.”
1. What’s scientists’ purpose of using optogenetics?| A．To control humans’ brain nerve cells. |
| B．To account for humans’ social interactions. |
| C．To figure out how neural circuits affect humans. |
| D．To correct tailored viruses entering the human bodies. |
| A．Once in a while. | B．At the same time. |
| C．By ones and twos. | D．On a regular basis. |
| A．The function of wireless technology. |
| B．The promising future of the devices. |
| C．The novel application of the devices. |
| D．The development of wireless technology. |
| A．Scientists Can Kill Mice with Light |
| B．Scientists Control Humans’ Social Interactions |
| C．Scientists Control Social Behavior of Mice with New Devices |
| D．Scientists Can Record Human Neural Circuits with New Devices |
9 . Classroom Activities for Students
Think, Pair and ShareTime—30 minutes
Description—You can create questions based on a particular topic taught in the class. You can pair up your students for this activity. Give them enough time to think and come up with solutions. They will be able to discuss on those particular topics.
Benefits—With this task, students can get into conversation with partners and develop their confidence and communication skills.
Group DiscussionTime—30 minutes
Description—Divide the class into two to three groups with equal participants (参与者) focused on a single topic. Each group has to share their ideas and thoughts on the same topic.
Benefits—In class discussions, there are interaction (互动) and teamwork among the students. Here students are learning from each other.
QuizTime—20 minutes
Description—You can divide the class into two groups, and ask questions related to the subject to each group. Each question is made up of four choices from which they have to choose the right answer. The group with the correct answer will get the points.
Benefits—This activity helps the students get knowledge and teamwork and improves memory.
PictionaryTime—5 minutes
Description—Students are always excited to take part in this activity. You can divide the class into two groups and ask one of the students to pick up a word and draw a picture describing it. The opposite group is supposed to guess the word, and if they correctly guess the word, they will get to draw next.
Benefits—This helps students in improving concentration, focus and communication skills.
1. What can the students do in group discussion?| A．Write down some words. |
| B．Create some questions on historical topic. |
| C．Compete with others in choosing topics. |
| D．Exchange thoughts and ideas among groups. |
| A．Think, pair and share. | B．Group discussion. |
| C．Quiz. | D．Pictionary. |
| A．A textbook. | B．An education magazine. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．A research report. |
10 . A new study shows homing pigeons (鸽子) combine precise internal compasses and memorized landmarks to retrace a path back to their home—even four years after the previous time when they made the trip.
Testing nonhuman memory keeping is challenging in research studies. “It’s rare that there is a gap of several years between when an animal stores the information and when it is next required to get it back,” says Dora Biro, a zoologist at the University of Oxford. In a recent study, Biro and her colleagues compared domestic homing pigeons’ paths three or four years after the birds established routes back to their home from a farm 8.6 kilometers away. The study built on data from a 2016 experiment in which pigeons learned routes in different social contexts during several flights-on their own or with peers that did or did not know the way.
Using data from GPS devices temporarily attached to the birds’ backs, the researchers compared the flight paths a group of pigeons took in 2016 with many of the same birds’ routes in 2019 or 2020, without the birds visiting the release site in between. Some birds missed a handful of landmarks along the way, but many others took “strikingly similar” routes to those they used in 2016, “It was as if the last time they flew there was just the day before, not four years ago,” says Oxford zoologist and study co-author Julien Collet.
The team found that the pigeons remembered a route just as well if they first flew it alone or with others and performed much better than those that had not made the journey in 2016. “The result is not surprising, but it provides new confirmation of homing pigeons’ remarkable memory. It closes the distance a little bit between our overconfident human cognitive (认知的) abilities and what animals can do,” says Verner Bingman, who studies animal navigation at Bowling Green State University and was not involved in the study.
1. What does paragraph 1 mention about homing pigeons?| A．The time of leaving home. | B．The location of their birth. |
| C．The ways they navigate home. | D．The reasons for their taking trips. |
| A．Through questionnaires. | B．Through information assumptions. |
| C．Through lab experiments on animals. | D．Through comparative analysis of data. |
| A．Prediction method. | B．Tracking method. |
| C．Expert consultation. | D．Literature consultation. |
| A．They are underestimated. | B．They have been declining. |
| C．They are much lower than humans’. | D．They have never been confirmed. |
