Boredom and Creativity
Most of us think of being bored at work as a negative experience, but a new study suggests it can have positive results including an increase in creativity because it gives us time to daydream.
That is the finding of Dr. Sandi Mann from the University of Central Lancashire. Dr. Mann conducted two studies. In the first experiment, 40 people were asked to carry out a boring task. They were told to copy numbers out of a telephone directory for 15 minutes. After that they were asked to complete another task. A pair of cups were given to each of them. Everyone tried to come up with different uses of the cups, and was given a chance to display their creativity. Meanwhile, another group of 40 people were just asked to come up with uses for the cups without doing any boring tasks before. It turned out that the 40 people who had first copied out the telephone numbers were more creative than the control group(對照組).
To see if daydreaming was a factor in this effect, a second boring task was introduced that allowed even more daydreaming than the boring writing task. This second study saw 30 people copying out the numbers as before, but also included a second group of 30 reading rather than writing them.
Again the researchers found that the people in the control group were least creative, but the people who had just read the names were more creative than those who had to write them out. This suggests that more passive boring activities, like reading or perhaps attending meetings, can lead to more creativity. Compared with reading, writing reduced the scope（范圍） for daydreaming. As a result, it reduces the  effects of boredom on creativity.
Dr. Mann says: “Boredom at work has always been seen as something to be avoided, but perhaps we should accept it in order to promote our creativity. What we want to do next is to see what the practical implications of this finding are. Do people who are bored at work become more creative in other areas of their work -- or do they go home and write novels?”  
小題1:Who proved to be the most creative in the two studies?
A．The people who attended meetings.
B．The people who did the reading task.
C．The people who invented uses for cups.
D．The people who copied telephone numbers.
小題2:The studies conducted by Dr. Mann indicate that creativity results from _______.
A．creative tasks
B．controlled activities
C．the range of daydreaming
D．reading and writing ability
小題3:What is Dr. Mann’s attitude towards boredom at work?
A．Positive.
B．Skeptical.
C．Subjective.
D．Disapproving.
小題4:What will Dr. Mann probably continue to research in their study?
A．The real causes of creativity.
B．The actual use of boredom.
C．The practical reasons of boredom.
D．The writing ability improved by boredom.

小題1:B
小題2:C
小題3:A
小題4:B

試題分析：文章介紹了Dr. Mann做的一項(xiàng)新的調(diào)查，讓人厭煩的工作也有它積極的一面，然人們做白日夢的同時，也會提高人們的創(chuàng)造力。
小題1:細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章第四段的句子：but the people who had just read the names were more creative than those who had to write them out.可知在兩個調(diào)查中最有創(chuàng)造力的人是做閱讀任務(wù)的人，選B
小題2:細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章第四段的句子：Compared with reading, writing reduced the scope（范圍） for daydreaming. As a result, it reduces the  effects of boredom on creativity.
可知Dr. Mann做的調(diào)查暗示創(chuàng)造力從白日夢而來，選 C
小題3:細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章第一段的句子：but a new study suggests it can have positive results including an increase in creativity because it gives us time to daydream.
可知Dr. Mann對工作厭煩的態(tài)度是積極的，選A
小題4:推理題：從文章最后一段的句子：What we want to do next is to see what the practical implications of this finding are.可知Dr. Mann下一步要研究厭倦的實(shí)際用途。選B
練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Scientists in Israel have discovered a new way to test for water pollution by “l(fā)istening” to what the plants growing in water have to say.
By shining a laser beam (激光束) on the tiny pieces of algae floating in the water，the researchers said they hear sound waves that tell them the type and amount of contamination (致污物) in the water.
“It is a red light，telling us that something is beginning to go wrong with the quality of water，” said Zvy Dubinsky，an aquatic biologist at Israel’s Bar Ilan University.“Algae is the first thing to be affected by a change in water quality.”“The secret，” he said，“is to measure the rate of photosynthesis (光合作用) in the algae，meaning the plant’s ability to transform light into energy.” During photosynthesis，plants also release oxygen into the air.
Dubinsky’s technique is easy to perform because of the over­abundance of algae in the planet’s water.Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere comes from algae.A prototype tester that occupies about one square meter of a laboratory desktop，shoots a laser beam at water samples to stimulate photosynthesis in the algae.But not all of the laser’s heat is used.Depending on the condition of the algae and the rate of photosynthesis，some of the heat is shot back into the water，creating sound waves，Dubinsky said.With a special underwater microphone，researchers are able to analyze the strength of the sound waves and determine the health of the algae and the condition of the surrounding water.
“Algae suffering from lead poisoning，like waste discharged from battery and paint manufacturing plants，will produce a different sound than those suffering from lack of iron or exposure to other toxins，” said researcher Yulia Pinchasov.She said that testing algae photosynthesis can determine water quality more accurately and easily than labor­intensive methods now used like chemical and radioactive carbon testing.
小題1:The underlined word “algae” in Paragraph 2 probably refers to a kind of________.
A．instrumentB．plant
C．woodD．pollutant
小題2:Why is the algae tested?
A．Because it floats on the water.
B．Because it can have photosynthesis.
C．Because it is the first to be polluted.
D．Because it can produce different sounds.
小題3:We can infer from the passage that________.
A．a(chǎn)lgae can produce a loud sound when polluted
B．a(chǎn)lgae can die easily from pollution
C．photosynthesis of the algae can only be caused by sunlight
D．photosynthesis of the algae is related to water quality
小題4:What would be the best title for the passage?
A．Scientists Listen to Plants to Find Water Pollution
B．A Prototype Tester Is Used to Determine Water Pollution
C．The Importance of Photosynthesis of the Algae
D．The Problem of Chemical and Radioactive Carbon Testing

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

How far would you be willing to go to satisfy your need to know？Far enough to find out your possibility of dying from a terrible disease？These days that’s more than an academic question，as Tracy Smith reports in our Cover Story.
There are now more than a thousand genetic(基因的) tests，for everything from baldness to breast cancer，and the list is growing.Question is，do you really want to know what might eventually kill you？For instance，Nobel Prize­winning scientist James Watson，one of the first people to map their entire genetic makeup，is said to have asked not to be told if he were at a higher risk for Alzheimer’s(老年癡呆癥)．
“If I tell you that you have an increased risk of getting a terrible disease，that could weigh on your mind and make you anxious，through which you see the rest of your life as you wait for that disease to hit you.It could really mess you up.” said Dr.Robert Green，a Harvard geneticist.
“Every ache and pain，” Smith suggested，could be understood as “the beginning of the end.”“That’s right.If you ever worried you were at risk for Alzheimer’s disease，then every time you can’t find your car in the parking lot，you think the disease has started.”
Dr.Green has been thinking about this issue for years.He led a study of people who wanted to know if they were at a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s.It was thought that people who got bad news would，for lack of a better medical term，freak_out.But Green and his team found that there was “no significant difference” between how people handled good news and possibly the worst news of their lives.In fact，most people think they can handle it.People who ask for the information usually can handle the information，good or bad，said Green.
小題1:The first paragraph is meant to________.
A．a(chǎn)sk some questions
B．introduce the topic
C．satisfy readers’ curiosity
D．describe an academic fact
小題2:Which of the following is TRUE of James Watson?
A．He is strongly in favor of the present genetic tests.
B．He is more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
C．He believes genetic mapping can help cure any disease.
D．He doesn’t want to know his chance of getting a disease.
小題3:According to Paragraphs 3 and 4，if a person is at a higher genetic risk，it is________.
A．a(chǎn)dvisable not to let him know
B．impossible to hide his disease
C．better to inform him immediately
D．necessary to remove his anxiety
小題4:The underlined part “freak out” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to “________”．
A．break downB．drop out
C．leave offD．turn away

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Nowadays robots can not only talk and dance，but also answer your questions in English.They are “____”．The following is the first China­made “beauty”____.
A new 168­cm high “beauty” robot who has not yet been____looks wonderful in a red wedding____.She can act as a tour guide，a receptionist，____a hostess.
Her face____the beautiful facial characteristics of many girls.And her eyes can move.
“The robot is the first human simulation(仿真)____in China，and she is____with the most advanced voice and movement control technologies and____communicate with humans，” said Li Chengrong，chief____of the robot，who works for the Chinese Academy of Science Institute of Automation.“She replies ‘____’ if you praise her by saying ‘You are so____’．”
The sentences that the robot can understand and say are____at present.“We will improve her in the future，to make her talk___with human beings，” Li said.
___the “beauty” will work as a receptionist and tour guide in Sichuan Science Museum，she has been programmed to____the southwestern dialect that is popular in inland Sichuan Province.
Li said the lab____for designing and making the robot was 300,000 yuan (37,500 U．S.dollars)．The robot is equipped with interactive technologies.It is____to most advanced robot in the world—Asimo，____by Japanese auto­maker Honda.Asimo，____can walk at a speed of one mile per hour and climb up and down stairs，costs about one million U．S.dollars.
小題1:
A．receptionistsB．hostesses
C．beautiesD．guides
小題2:
A．robotB．cushion
C．carpetD．fingernail
小題3:
A．inventedB．designed
C．madeD．named
小題4:
A．dressB．clothes
C．shoesD．skirt
小題5:
A．orB．a(chǎn)nd
C．butD．so
小題6:
A．containsB．includes
C．connectsD．combines
小題7:
A．oneB．this
C．thatD．it
小題8:
A．desiredB．piled
C．equippedD．scanned
小題9:
A．mustB．can
C．shouldD．may
小題10:
A．designerB．declarer
C．juniorD．haircutter
小題11:
A．Go aheadB．Thank you
C．SorryD．With pleasure
小題12:
A．holyB．pretty
C．elegantD．outgoing
小題13:
A．developedB．complicated
C．limitedD．improved
小題14:
A．happilyB．slowly
C．particularlyD．freely
小題15:
A．SinceB．If
C．UnlessD．When
小題16:
A．studyB．speak
C．ignoreD．understand
小題17:
A．payB．price
C．costD．work
小題18:
A．familiarB．similar
C．oppositeD．reasonable
小題19:
A．producedB．obeyed
C．enviedD．tested
小題20:
A．whichB．where
C．whenD．who

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Dyslexia（失讀癥）is a learning disorder, it interferes with the ability to recognise words, and for some readers to understand what they have read.
Experts say dyslexia affects about five to ten percent of the population of the United State. Researchers have long known that people with dyslexia write or read words and letters backwards in the wrong order.
But a new study shows that people with dyslexia may have trouble redirecting（重新傳入） their attention between senses, from seeing something to hearing something. The study suggests something that might help dyslexic people learn more quickly - play video games.
Vanessa Harrar of Britain's University of Oxford led the study. She reported the findings in the journal Current Biology. The study suggests that dyslexic people may have trouble moving quickly from what they read to what they hear. Doctor Harrar calls this a "sluggish shifting of attention across the senses."
"So, if you are trying to read something and then trying to listen to somebody who's reading aloud and you're trying to follow along with what they are reading -- they have to switch their attention from hearing what they are saying to looking at the piece of paper and back again. So we found they have quite sluggish shifting of attention across the senses," said Harrar.
In the study, Doctor Harrar tested 17 people with dyslexia, and 19 others without reading problems. The volunteers were asked to push a button as quickly as possible when they heard a sound, saw a light or experienced both together. Doctor Harrar compared the speed of their reactions.
She found that people with dyslexia were just as fast as the others when they saw only a picture or heard only a sound. But the dyslexics had a slower reaction time when they heard a sound and saw a picture at the same time.
Doctor Harrar feels like playing action video games could help dyslexic people shift from seeing to hearing more quickly. She adds that images in video games force the eyes to move and focus quickly.
"Video game types of things pop out of here and there, they move your eyes around the screen quite quickly in response to things quite quickly, and the more you play a video game the faster you get that kind of thing. So, the video game is really training the attention system to move quickly," said Harrar.
The study also shows that dyslexic people have the most difficulty going between what they saw and what they heard, this may have an effect on how dyslexic children are taught how to read.
When children learn the alphabet，they usually see the letter first and then hear the sound, or they see and hear the letter at the same time. The study shows that dyslexics might learn more quickly if they hear the sound of a letter or word first before seeing it.
小題1:What is the main idea of the passage？
A．Video Games are good for children.
B．Study Suggests Video Games Might Help Dyslexics
C．A study about Video Games is being carried out.
D．Children with Dyslexics can learn better by playing video games.
小題2:People with Dyslexia have the following problems except_________.
A．writing or reading words and letters backwards in the wrong order.
B．redirecting their attention between senses, from seeing something to hearing something.
C．moving quickly from what they read to what they hear.
D．seeing a picture or hearing a sound.
小題3:What does the underlined word“sluggish”in Paragragh 4 mean？
A．slowB．wrongC．specificD．a(chǎn)ccurate
小題4:Why can playing video games help dyslexic people learn more quickly?
A．While playing video games, people will train their reading and hearing.
B．While playing video games, people will have a good knowledge of the system.
C．While playing video games, people should move their eyes around the screen quite quickly train the attention system to move quickly.
D．Video games can arouse their interest in reading.
小題5:What is the importance of the finding?
A．The finding will prove video games are not necessarily bad for children.
B．People with Dyslexia will be cured by playing video games.
C．People with Dyslexia will not be made fun of by others.
D．The finding may have an effect on the way to teach dyslexic children how to read.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

For many students in the UK today, deciding whether or not to go to university can be as much about affordability as it is about ambition and aspiration.
In the past, students in the UK could apply to a university or college. They were sure that even if they came from a low income family, their tuition fees and some of their living (or maintenance) costs would be covered by a local authority grant(撥款). A university education was, in a financial sense, open to all and the number of students attending university grew yearly.
Sadly, it seems, those days are long gone. The turning point came in 1998, when the Labour Government introduced tuition fees of ￡1,000 a year and, instead of giving students a maintenance grant, asked them to cover their own living expenses with a repayable student loan. Only students on the lowest incomes were entitled to a grant.
The flood gates had been opened. As time passed, the ceiling on tuition fees rose, and although applicants from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales still qualified for varying levels of subsidy(補(bǔ)貼), by 2009/10 students in England often found themselves facing tuition fees over￡3,000 a year.
In 2011 the Government announced that, from 2012, universities could charge fees of up to ￡9,000 a year. Although the Government sweetened the pill by stating that postgraduates did not have to begin repaying their student loans until they were earning more than ￡21,000 a year, the news created over-dissatisfaction. Many students argued that it was unfair that students should have to begin their work life loaded with huge debt, while others complained that the changes would bring back a class divide to university education. These views were reflected in the number of students applying for a university place, which by January 2012 fell by more than 22,000. The Universities Minister, David Willetts, stood by the decision to increase tuition fees, saying that they would not “put universities’ finance on a bearable footing” and that they would accelerate “a stronger focus on high quality teaching.”
小題1:From the first paragraph, we can infer that _____ in attending university.
A．a(chǎn)ffordability plays more important roles than ambition and aspiration
B．a(chǎn)mbition and aspiration are more important than affordability
C．a(chǎn)ffordability is as important as ambition and aspiration
D．a(chǎn)mbition and aspiration make a greater difference
小題2:We can put the sentence “But the biggest change was still to come” at the beginning of Paragraph _____.
A．2B．3C．4D．5
小題3:The underlined part “sweetened the pill” in the last paragraph possibly means_____.
A．made a sweet pillB．made the change appear good
C．increased the pillD．reduced the pill
小題4:The writer _____ the change about university education fees.
A．is in favor ofB．is opposed to
C．takes no notice ofD．is neither for nor against

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Why do human beings still risk their lives under ground and doing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs in the world? It is an increasingly urgent question, given the recent mining accidents in Sago, W. Va and Huntington, Utah. A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the not-too-distant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work. 
Robotic technology, in particular, holds much promise, McAteer says, especially when it comes to mapping mines and rescuing trapped miners --- the special operations of the mining industry.
One of the first mining robots was developed five years ago at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. It was called Groundhog. It used lasers(激光器) to “see” in dark tunnels and map abandoned mines—some of the most dangerous work in the business. 
The latest design is called Cave Crawler. It’s a bit smaller than Groundhog，and even more advanced. It can take photos and videos and has more sensors that can detect the presence of dangerous gases. Incredibly，the robot has a real sense of logic. If it comes across an obstacle it gets momentarily confused. It has to think about what to do and where to go next. Sometimes it throws a fit just like a real person. 
The greatest problem, though, is cost. The money of the earliest research project was provided by the government, but that money had dried up, and it’s not clear where future money will come from. Partly for that reason, and partly because of advances in safety, mining is not nearly as dangerous as it was in the past. Since 1990, fatalities(致命性) have declined by 67% and injuries by 51% , according to the National Mining Association.
Some experts predict that robots in mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry. The robots do the most boring and dangerous jobs，but won’t get rid of the need for human workers.
小題1:The latest robot is more advanced than Groundhog, mainly because ____.
A．it can map abandoned mines
B．it can see in the dark tunnels
C．it’s smaller than Groundhog
D．it has a real sense of logic
小題2:The underlined phrase “throws a fit” in paragraph 4 probably means“______”
A．gets angryB．gets sick
C．becomes hungryD．becomes cheerful
小題3:We can infer from the last paragraph that _____ .
A．robots in mines will serve much in the automotive industry
B．there will be no need for human workers in mines
C．the mine robots will have a very bright future
D．robots in mines only do some simple jobs now
小題4:We can infer from the text that ______.
A．the mining robots do most of the mining work at present
B．groundhog can discover the presence of dangerous gases
C．experts are trying to make robots help miners with dangerous work
D．robots cannot do dangerous work in dark areas
小題5:What can be the best title for the text?
A．Mining Accidents in America
B．Robots in Mines
C．Cave crawler, the Latest Robot
D．The Future of Robots

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Attempts to understand the relationship between social behavior and health have their origin in history. Dubos (1969) suggested that primitive（原始的）humans were closer to the animals because they, too, relied upon their instincts to stay healthy. Yet some primitive humans recognized a cause and effect relationship between doing certain things and alleviating（減輕）symptoms of a disease or improving the condition of a wound. Since there was so much that primitive humans did not understand about the functioning of the body, magic became an integral component of the beliefs about the causes and cures of health disorders. So it is not surprising that early humans thought that illness was caused by evil spirits. Primitive medicines made from vegetables or animals were invariably used in combination with some form of ritual (禮儀) to drive harmful spirits away from a diseased body.
One of the earliest attempts in the Western world to formulate principles of health care based upon rational thought and rejection of supernatural phenomena is found in the work of the Greek physician Hippocrates. Little is known of Hippocrates who lived around 400 B.C., not even whether he actually authored the collection of books that bears his name. Nevertheless, the writings attributed to him have provided a number of principles underlying modern medical practice. One of his most famous contributions, the Hippocratic Oath, is the foundation of contemporary medical ethics (道德). Among other things, it requires a physician to swear that he or she will help the sick, keep oneself from intentional wrong-doing or harm, and keep secret all matters to keep the doctor-patient relationship.
Hippocrates also argued that medical knowledge should be derived（源自于）from an understanding of the natural sciences and the logic of cause and effect relationships. In this classic thesis, On Airs, Waters, and Places, Hippocrates pointed out that human-being is influenced by the totality of environmental factors: living habits or lifestyle, climate, geography of the land, and the quality of air and food. Interesting enough, concerns about our health and the quality of air, water, and places are still very much written in the twentieth century.
小題1:The topic of the first paragraph is summarized in ________.
A．the first sentence of the paragraph
B．the second sentence of the paragraph
C．the third sentence of the paragraph
D．the last sentence of the paragraph
小題2:Why did primitive humans rely on magic in their beliefs about the causes and cures of diseases?
A．Because magic was an inseparable part of their life.
B．Because they had little knowledge about the functioning of the body.
C．Because the diseases were caused by the evil spirits.
D．Because magic must be used in going through the rituals to drive out the evil spirits.
小題3:Considering Hippocrates’ background, we can see from the second paragraph that ________.
A．he was the forefather of modern medicine
B．experts are sure that the books bearing his name were not written by him
C．he had a rational mind aided by supernatural instincts
D．experts do not know much about him except when and where he lived
小題4:All of the following are included in the Hippocratic Oath EXCEPT ________.
A．helping patients
B．keeping oneself from harming patients
C．keeping secret all matters to maintain a good relationship with the patients
D．obeying rules for modern medicine practice
小題5:Which of the following best expressed the main idea of the last paragraph?
A．Doctor’s concerns remain unchanged.
B．Medicine comes from nature.
C．Environment affects health.
D．Climate determines lifestyle.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

　Beware of those who use the truth to deceive(欺騙). When someone tells you something that is　　, but leaves out important information that should be　　, he can create a false impression.
For example, someone might say, “I just　　a hundred dollars on the lottery. It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and　　it in for one hundred dollars!”
This guy is a winner, 　　? Maybe, maybe not. We then discover that he bought two hundred　　, and only one was a winner. He’s really a big　　!
He didn’t say anything that was　　, but he deliberately left out some important　　. That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically　　, but they are just as not　　.
Untrustworthy candidates in　　campaigns often use this tactic(手段). Let’s say that during Governor Smith’s last term, the state lost one million jobs and　　three million jobs. Then she　　another term. One of her opponents runs an ad　　, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs!”That’s true. 　　, an honest statement would have been, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of　　million jobs. ”
Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths. It’s　　the law to make false claims so they try to mislead you with the　　. An ad might boast, “Nine out of ten doctors recommend Yucky Pills to cure nose pimples. ”It　　to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Corporation.
This kind of deception happens too often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.
小題1:
A．falseB．true
C．interestingD．boring
小題2:
A．includedB．contained
C．ignoredD．referred
小題3:
A．lostB．found
C．donatedD．won
小題4:
A．changed B．took
C．turnedD．made
小題5:
A．rightB．wellC．reallyD．though
小題6:
A．booksB．papers
C．ticketsD．balls
小題7:
A．winnerB．loser
C．fighterD．thinker
小題8:
A．trueB．real
C．doubtful D．false
小題9:
A．details B．information
C．mistakes D．errors
小題10:
A．storiesB．truth
C．messages D．lies
小題11:
A．pleasantB．exciting
C．honestD．clever
小題12:
A．politicalB．commercial
C．personal D．public
小題13:
A．stoppedB．found
C．a(chǎn)voidedD．gained
小題14:
A．seeksB．gets
C．a(chǎn)chieves D．searches
小題15:
A．writingB．telling
C．sayingD．speaking
小題16:
A．OtherwiseB．However
C．MeanwhileD．Because
小題17:
A．oneB．twoC．threeD．four
小題18:
A．forB．to
C．a(chǎn)gainstD．in
小題19:
A．wordsB．facts
C．data D．truth
小題20:
A．failsB．tries
C．managesD．plans

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案