Question

Curiosity is the engine of intellectual achievement—it’s what drives us to keep learning, keep trying and keep pushing forward. But how does one stimulate(激发) curiosity in oneself or others?

"Curiosity arises," Loewenstein, a professor of psychology, wrote, "when attention becomes focused on a gap(缺口) in one’s knowledge. Such information gaps produce the feeling of deprivation(剥夺) labeled curiosity. The curious individual is motivated to obtain the missing information to reduce the feeling of deprivation." Loewenstein’s theory helps explain why curiosity is such a great motivator: it’s not only a mental state but also an emotion, a powerful feeling that drives us forward.

A scientist called Daniel Willingham notes that teachers are often so eager to get to the answer that they do not devote enough tune to developing the question. Being told an answer stops curiosity before it can even get going. Instead of starting with the answer, begin by asking the students a question that interests them—one that opens an information gap.

George Loewenstein noted that curiosity requires some basic knowledge. We’re not curious about something we know absolutely nothing about. But as soon as we know even a little bit, our curiosity is excited and we want to learn more. In fact, research shows that curiosity increases with knowledge: the more we know, the more we want to know.

Language teachers usually use a similar idea in exercises that open an information gap and then require learners to communicate with each other in order to fill it. For example, one student might be given some pictures showing the beginning of the story, while the student’s partner is given some pictures showing how that same story ends. Only by speaking with each other can the students fill in each other’s information gaps.

1.When one notices a gap in his or her knowledge, the curious person_______.

A. desires to fill it

B. tends to give it up

C. may be unwilling to admit it

D. will ignore it and move forward

2.Which of the following is Daniel Willingham’s opinion?

A. Answers are more important than questions.

B. Teachers know how to stimulate students’ curiosity.

C. Interesting questions can help stimulate students’ curiosity.

D. Teachers should allow students to ask more questions in class.

3.What do we know about curiosity in Paragraph 4?

A. It is of importance.

B. It needs more knowledge.

C. It is excited when we learn more.

D. It increases with growing knowledge.

4.What may be the best title for the text?

A. The Importance of Curiosity

B. How to Stimulate Curiosity

C. Curiosity and Language Learning

D. How to Teach Foreign Languages

Answer

根据第一段总结概括文章☞B选项How to Stimulate Curiosity

【解析】好奇心是驱使我们学习的动力，是驱使我们尝试和前进的动力。我们学的越多就越对知识充满渴求。

1.推理判断题。根据第二段The curious individual is motivated to obtain the missing information to reduce the feeling of deprivation.可知，当一个有好奇心的人看到自己知识欠缺时，他会想要填补上知识空白。故选A。

2.推理判断题。根据第三段Instead of starting with the answer,begin by asking the students a question that interests them—one that opens an information gap.可知，科学家丹尼尔认为提出孩子们感兴趣的问题会激发他们的好奇心。故选C。

3.推理判断题。根据第四段In fact, research shows that curiosity increases with knowledge: the more we know, the more we want to know.可知，当一个人们知道的越多就会越想知道更多，好奇心会使人们学习更多知识。故选D。

4.主旨大意题。本文首段Curiosity is the engine of intellectual achievement—it’s what drives us to keep learning, keep trying and keep pushing forward. But how does one stimulate(激发) curiosity in oneself or others?指出好奇心是驱使我们学习的动力，是驱使我们尝试和前进的动力，并提出问题，文中列举了多名专家对好奇心的研究，可以推断出最佳标题是“如何激发好奇心”。故选B。

【名师点睛】

主旨大意主要的解题策略有：

（1）标题类。文章标题可以是单词，短语，也可以是句子，它的特点是：短小精悍，多为一短语；涵盖性强，一般要求能覆盖全文，其确定的范围要恰当，既不能太大，也不能太小；精确性强，不能随意改变语言表意的程度及色彩。

（2）主旨类。概括主旨的方法是：先看首尾或各段开头再看全文找主题句，若无明显主题句，就通过关键词句来概括(如议论文中寻找表达作者观点态度的词句，记叙文寻找概括情节和中心的动词或反映人物特点的形容词)。文中出现两种或两种以上的不同观点时，务必牢记作者的观点才是体现全文中心的。此时，要注意一些转折词，如but, yet, however, although, in spite of, by contrast, on the contrary等。当文章中表示相反的观点时，往往用到这些词。答题时要弄清哪个是作者的观点，排除迷惑性信息，准确归纳主旨大意。

B【解题剖析】此题属于主旨大意中的（1）一一标题类。答案需要理解文章后归纳文章中心。

【答案定位】根据第一段中的Curiosity is the engine of intellectual achievement—it’s what drives us to keep learning, keep trying and keep pushing forward. But how does one stimulate（激发）curiosity in oneself or others?.可知，本文重点讲述好奇心的作用和如何激发自己和他人的好奇心。

【推理关系】题干What may he the best title for the text?☞文章内容的Curiosity is the engine of intellectual achievement—it’s what drives us to keep learning, keep trying and keep pushing forward. But how does one stimulate（激发）curiosity in oneself or others?.☞概括总结☞如何激发好奇心☞标题