Habits are a funny thing. We reach for them mindlessly, setting our brains on auto-pilot and relaxing into the unconscious comfort of familiar routine.“Not choice, but habit rules the unreflecting creatures,”William Wordsworth said in the 19th century. In the ever-changing 21st century, even the word“habit”carries a negative meaning.
So it seems contradictory to talk about habits in the same context as innovation (創(chuàng)新). But brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks.
Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things we try, the more creative we become.
But don’t bother trying to kill off old habits; once those ruts of procedure are worn into the brain, they’re there to stay. Instead, the new habits we deliberately press into ourselves create parallel pathways that can bypass those old roads.
“The first thing needed for innovation is attraction to wonder,”says Dawna Markova, author of The Open Mind.“But we are taught instead to‘decide’, just as our president calls himself‘the Decider’.”She adds, however, that“to decide is to kill off all possibilities but one. A good innovational thinker is always exploring the many other possibilities.”
“All of us work through problems in ways of which we’re unaware,”she says. Researchers in the late 1960s discovered that humans are born with the ability to approach challenges in four primary ways: analytically, procedurally, collaboratively (合作地) and innovatively. At the end of adolescence, however, the brain shuts down half of that ability, preserving only those ways of thought that have seemed most valuable during the first decade or so of life.
The current emphasis on standardized testing highlights analysis and procedure, meaning that few of us use our innovative and collaborative ways of thought.“This breaks the major rule in the American belief system—that anyone can do anything,”explains M. J. Ryan, author of the 2006 book This Year I Will…and Ms. Markova’s business partner.“That’s a lie that we have preserved, and it fosters commonness. Knowing what you’re good at and doing even more of it creates excellence.”This is where developing new habits comes in.
67.Brain researchers have discovered that      .
A.the forming of new habits can be guided
B.the development of habits can be predicted
C.the regulation of old habits can be transformed
D.the track of new habits can be created unconsciously
68.The underlined word“ruts”in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to       .
A.zones                            B.connections                 C.situations                     D.tracks
69.Which of the following statements most probably agrees with Dawna Markova’s view?
A.Decision makes no sense in choices.
B.Curiosity makes creative minds active.
C.Creative ideas are born of a relaxing mind.
D.Formation of innovation comes from fantastic ideas.
70.The purpose of the author writing this article is to persuade us       .
A.to give up our traditional habits deliberately
B.to create and develop new habits consciously
C.to resist the application of standardized testing
D.to believe that old habits conflict with new habits
67. A        68. D       69. B        70. 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

The home of the future won’t be completely different and we will be living in houses and flats just as we do today. But people will want to shape their homes to match their dreams. No two homes will be the same. People will be able to buy “house kits” containing a basic house structure, with movable walls, doors and windows. They will put together the different parts to create the home they want.
Many jobs that we do today will disappear, others will still exist but will change and new jobs will be created. Skilled workers such as builders, gardeners and electricians won’t disappear because machines can’t replace them. Teachers will still exist because students need human contact. But they will be using modern technology in class more and students will be working more from home. The medical technology revolution and space travel will create new jobs which we can only imagine today.
Space holidays will develop in the future, but these holidays won’t be for everyone because they won’t be cheap. Short space trips will develop first, then space hotels will orbit the earth where it will be possible to have a longer vacation. By the end of the next century, there will be holiday centres on the moon with leisure facilities for families.
Paper won’t exist in the future. Instead, there will be e-paper which people will be able to use over and over again. This will develop in order to save natural resources. E-newspapers and e-magazines will replace traditional newspapers and magazines and we will download information and news articles from the Internet every day onto our reuseable paper.
The laws of physics tell us that the earth is going to disappear some time in the future. This isn’t going to happen tomorrow but scientists predict that it will happen in five billion years when our sun explodes(爆炸).We will have to explore the universe and find another home. At some point in the distant future, either we stay on the earth and die with it, or we leave and move to another planet. There won’t be any other choice.
60.Homes of the future will ________.
A.be completely different from those of today.
B.be very similar to our homes
C.a(chǎn)ll be different form one another                 
D.be movable as you want
61.Space trips and staying in space hotels will _________.
A.become a very common way to spend a holiday
B.be the cheapest holiday option for families
C.a(chǎn)ttract a lot of people
D.still only be for very rich people
62.E-paper will replace traditional paper because _________.
A.we will use it again  B.it won’t waste natural resource
C.it will be cheaper to produce   D.it will be convenient to carry
63.We will have move to another planet ________.
A.if we want to save the human race  B.when the sun explodes
C.when the earth disappears       D.when the earth is too crowded to fill people on

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解


When you want to see if a library has the book you want, you can use the catalogue(目錄) in the Library. Most catalogues of books in a library take the form of small cards kept in boxes. One way of arranging (排列) the cards is in ABC order by the family names of the writers.
  Catalogue cards usually give the following important information: (1 )the name of the writer, (2)the shelf-n k(架號) ,that is ,the Dewev number which helps people to find where the books are, (3) the title of the book, (4)the year of publication and the publisher, and (5)the number of pages in the book.
1.if you know the title of a book and want to find out if it is in the catalogue, what else do you need to know?
  A. The shelf-mark.  B. The name of the writer.
  C. The Dewey number.  D. The year of publication.
2. Which of the following is the kind of catalogue card described in the text?
A. 428.65 Brooks,J.and Grundy,P.Writing for Study PurposesCambridge University I ‘ns~(1954) 78pp
B. 783.25 The best bookfor writing practicePractical Writing (1965) 213pp
C.315.08 Reading Skills Beijing University Press (1990) 160pp
D.921 .87 Smith, J Practical ReachingThe People’s Publishing House (1989)

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:完形填空

In the last century there were not  1  big towns in the U.S. 2  there are today.Most towns in the country were small.And in these small towns,the general store was  3  people   the things they couldn't made or grow at home.
  5  the store sold   6  a good deal about life in the United States at that time.People bought tools that they needed on their farms.They bought salt,sugar,coffee and   7  that their farms didn't produce.They bought articles of   8  that they could not make themselves,and cloth or other materials that the  9  would make into dresses for themselves,shirts for the men and clothes for their children.
Life in the   10  century America was   11 .One proves that most people were satisfied with what they had   12  still they looked forward   13  courage to whatever the future would   14  them.It would be interesting to know   15  they would feel about life in the world today.  16  to them that life is too complex,or would they be glad to see that life is   17  in the past?
Nobody will   18  know the   19  people at that time would enjoy life today or not.Perhaps man is always the same of his kind.They did take things for granted,and also they did try to make life more comfortable.We have to admit that it is the same   20  people at present.
1.A.many                     B.so many             C.so much             D.a lot of
2.A.where             B.like                    C.what                  D.as
3.A.where             B.for                     C.in which             D.that
4.A.made                     B.bought               C.sold               D.paid for
5.A.That                B.No matter           C.Which            D.What
6.A.says                B.talks                  C.refers             D.tells
7.A.other things     B.another food    C.other foods         D.foods and drinks
8.A.clothes            B.clothing             C.dresses               D.suits
9.A.farmers           B.men                   C.women               D.children
10.A.eighteenth      B.nineteenth          C.twentieth            D.next
11.A.easy                     B.simple                C.interesting      D.tiresome
12.A.and which      B.and yet               C.and that              D.but what
13.A.in                 B.to                      C.of                  D.with
14.A.bring             B.take                   C.happen to           D.serve
15.A.what             B.whether              C.that                   D.how
16.A.Did it appear  B.Would it seem  C.What did it seem  D.What appeared
17.A.still what it used to be        B.better than what it was
C.much more easier than          D.no more than it was
18.A.never            B.always           C.once              D.ever
19.A.truth that              B.fact whether   C.idea how            D.information of
20.A.as                 B.for                     C.with               D.like

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Amelia Earhart's (1897-1937) childhood was not the typical girl’s. She liked nothing better than to explore the banks of the Missouri River, where she climbed trees and hunted rats with her rifle (步槍). She also built her own roller coaster(過山車 ).
The exciting life of the American aviation (航空)pioneer is dramatized in the movie Amelia, which is due to come out on October 23.
After Earhart paid a pilot $1 to take her up for a short fly in his plane, aviation became her love and career.
As she later explained, “Never do things others can do and will do, if there are things others cannot do or will not do.”
Earhart found herself a flying teacher and started to learn to fly. She took all sorts of jobs to pay for the lessons and to buy a second-hand plane on her 24th birthday.
In 1932, Earhart flew solo across the Atlantic. She became the first woman to make the solo crossing. She also made a flying suit for women and went on to design other clothes for women who led active lives. “Now and then women should do for themselves what men have already done —— occasionally what men have not done ——thereby establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps encouraging other women toward greater independence of thought and action.” she said.
When she was nearly 40, Earhart was ready for a final challenge—to be the first woman to fly around the world. However, in mid-flight, she and her navigator (導(dǎo)航員) disappeared in bad weather.
Earhart will be forever remembered as a brave pioneer for both aviation and for women.
59. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
A. A movie about Earhart’s exciting life has come out.
B. Earhart never did things others could and would do.
C. Earhart’s love for aviation came after she flew a plane for a short time.
D. In Earhart's opinion, women should think and act more independently.
60. The underlined word in paragraph 2 means ____.
A. presented           B. adopted            C. published          D. created
61. From the passage we can know that ____.
A. Earhart showed most interest in adventure trips to the Missouri River during her
childhood
B. Earhart s ambition was to fly across the Atlantic
C. Earhart challenged herself constantly
D. Besides flying, Earhart also designed planes and clothes
62. You can probably find this article in        .
A. a booklet            B. a newspaper       C. a guide book      D. an advertisement

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

As the sound of footsteps behind her grew louder, she quickened her pace. She didn’t want to turn around as the memory of that morning’s newspaper headline made her afraid of what she would see: “City Killer Claims Fourth Victim.”
“Why did I stop for a few drinks in the bar after work?” she thought to herself. Now it was dark and the streets deserted. She was alone and a sitting duck.
She felt as if she was walking in the rain. Her clothes were damp from nervous sweat and as each short hot breath hit the night air, it turned to steam, coating her glasses in a thin film so all she saw seemed covered in fog.
The footsteps were closer now. She needed to get off this street. Her eyes began a useless search for an open store or lighted window. Passing a small lane she looked through, for a possible escape route. But the lane was a dead - end and she laughed to herself at the irony ( 具有諷刺意味的事 ).
The sound of a car behind her turning onto the street interrupted her self – pity. Escape was at hand. But as she was about to throw herself onto the road and shout for the car to stop, the car’s headlights cast a shadow that paralyzed ( 使癱瘓 ) her with terror.
It was the footsteps’ owner. The figure was huge and in its raised arm it held what looked like a lead-pipe, no doubt the one that was about to claim victim number five.
The shadow dissolved as the car passed by and disappeared into the distance. She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was all happening as if in slow – motion. She was waiting for her life to flash before her eyes like all those novels said it would – but it didn’t. The only thing she thought of was her dear husband. She recalled phoning him from work that very afternoon and joking about, of all things, the city killer. It was a night full of ironies.
There was a voice talking to her now but she was lost in thoughts of her fate and didn’t respond. The hand then began turning her around. It was surprisingly gentle given what was about to come. She allowed it to guide her without resistance ( 抗拒 ).
She looked up. She recognized the face, but she didn’t know from where. Its mouth was still talking to her but she couldn’t understand. Then she remembered. The face belonged to the foreign looking man who had served her at the bar. She looked down to his hand and saw in it not a lead – pipe but a rolled up copy of a work report she had been correcting in the bar as she drank.
His words suddenly started to register in her brain and she could hear him. “Miss, Miss. Are you OK? You left this in the bar and it looked important so I thought I’d better give it to you.”
71. The woman was feeling nervous because        .
A. she had left her report in the bar
B. there was a killer in the city
C. she was being followed by someone
D. the streets were dark and empty
72. The underlined expression “a sitting duck” (paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to “        ”.
A. an easy target              B. a frightened person
C. a foolish animal            D. a still position
73. What is the correct order of events that happened to the woman on the day of the story?
a. She went for a drink in a bar.       b. She corrected the report.
c. She heard loud footsteps.    d. She read the newspaper.
e. She called her husband.       f. She felt a hand on her shoulder.
A. d,c,a,e,b,f    B. c,d,a,e,f,b    C. d,a,b,e,c,f    D. d,e,a,b,c,f
74. Why did the woman laugh when she looked into the lane?
A. She was excited because she thought it may be a way to escape.
B. She felt bitter because she had no chance to escape.
C. She was becoming more and more nervous.
D. She realized that she was behaving foolishly.
75. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. It was raining when she left the bar.
B. The woman had felt nervous about the city killer for days.
C. The temperature was very low that evening.
D. The woman was behaving unreasonably.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

   A young British sailor was missing at sea yesterday in similar circumstances(情況)to the way his father died five years ago.
The dinghy(救生橡皮船),used to take Richard Smith,21,to his yacht(快艇),was discovered empty, floating in seas off the Caribbean island.An air and sea search was carried out but he has still not been discovered.
Richard’s mother, Bicknell,said from her home in Hampshire,“It’s so much coincidence.Richard always carried a photograph of his father attached to a poem,which included the date of his disappearance.”
“Now, it’s very strange because all they have found is Richard’s dinghy.We need to know this time what has happened one way or another.If you know at least you can go through the grieving process(悲痛的過程).”
In November 1996,Mr. Smith’s father, Charlie,was sailing in the Tasmen sea between the Australian mainland and the island of Tasmen with his new wife.They lost radio contact with the shore and they, together with their yacht were never seen again,and their disappearance remains a mystery.
Richard is described a talented(有才能的)and experienced sailor who has crewed for the champion ocean racer.He had sailed to the。Caribbean in November to crew ocean racing yachts for entertainment.He ended the evening drinking in the Abracbabra bar but left after local police closed it for being too noisy.
About 2 am the following day Richard headed back for his dinghy.He started its outboard motor before giving all elderly woman a lift to her yacht after her dinghy had gone missing.It was the last time he was seen.
61.Riehard Smith was       in 2000.
A.ten    B.fifteen    C.twenty    D.eighteen
62.People searched for Richard using     
A.ship only   B.ship and radio          C.ship and plane   D.yacht and car
63.According to the passage,we know Richard died because       
A.he was a green hand in sailing
B.some unknown animal attacked him
C.that was a maze in the area he was sailing
D.of something we don’t know
64.Which statement is NOT true according to this passage?
A.Young Smith had lost radio contact with the shore before he died.
B.Richard’s father had married two women at least.
C.Richard didn’t drink on the evening before he was lost because the
policeman closed the bar.
D.Richard was seen at about 2 am the day he disappeared.
65.The writer tells us    
A.a(chǎn) story about two heroes     B.a(chǎn) piece of news about a merchant ship
C.a(chǎn) coincidence             D.the dying process of Richard

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Hamsters are lovely small animals which are similar to mice,and some people 1ike to keep them as pets.They need to eat a balanced diet,or they can become very sick.That’s why hamsters should be fed healthy foods.

Most pet stores sell hamster mix.This is a combination of foods that are just right for hamsters.Some hamsters are picky eaters.They don’t eat anything they don’t like,so you have to find a hamster mix that your hamster will like.Most hamsters only eat a few tablespoons a day.You should feed them at the same time every day,or you can just keep your hamster’s bowl full.Remember to clean the bowl at least once a week.Hamsters also drink a lot of water,so be sure to keep the water supply full and fresh.
Just like people,hamsters like treats.Besides the hamster mix,you can sometimes feed your hamster seeds,nuts,and some other people food.You should never feed your hamster anything unless you are sure that it is safe for hamsters.
Feed your hamster carefully,and always take good care of your pet !
43.If hamsters don’t have a balanced diet,they will         .
A.become sick          B.drink water           C.store food                            D.feel fresh
44.What does the underlined sentence “some hamsters are picky eaters” mean?
A.They pick food with tools.          B.They mix food once a week.
C.They find their food in stores.         D.They only eat the food they like.
45.What’s the passage mainly about?
A.Where to keep hamsters.         B.When to buy hamsters.
C.What to feed hamsters.         D.Why to raise hamsters.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

People say time is relative.But relative to what.I do know that sometimes time“seems”to be moving slower.Remember Christmas Eve when you were a child? It was the longest night of the year.It lasted forever! And now it seems like I just paid my bill yesterday...a(chǎn)nd it’s due again!  
People tell me all too frequently…I need more time! Oh ,really?…Mother Teresa,Michelangelo,and Helen Keller all had 24 hours a day.Look what they did with their time!
Is it that we need to manage our time better…or our priorities(重點(diǎn))?You’ve heard the expression“first things first.”The first step in understanding the power of time is to understand that it is limited.Why is it then that some people get a lot more done? We know the answer.They use their time smartly.   
One day an expert on time management was speaking to a group of students and announced a quiz.He pulled out a wide-mouthed jar.Next,he placed about a dozen fist-sized rocks,one at a time , into the jat, until no more would fit.“Is it full?” he asked.”Yes,”responds the class.”O(jiān)h really?” he asked.So he took out a bucket of gravel(砂礫), which he managed to work down into the spaces between the larger rocks.“Is it full now?” he asked.
Wising up,one answered,‘'Probably not.”Sure enough, he took out a bucket of sand,which he poured into the empty spaces.”Is it full now?” he asked.”No,” reply the students confidently.So he took a glass of water and filled it in.Then he asked,“What is my point?’’
One said,‘'No matter how full your schedule is,if you try really hard,you can always fit some more things into it!”
“No,”the speaker replied,“It tells us if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.’’
What are the big rocks? The things you should put in to your jar first.
The rich don’t get 25 hours and the poor don’t get 23…we all get the same.Let’s use them wisely! Invest your time wisely!
49.What does the point of the quiz lie in_______.
A.How to put more things into ajar. B.How well the students learn the lesson.
C.How to get more done in limited time      D.The skill and order is very important.
50. “The big rocks”in this passage refers to_______?
A.difficult points.        B.a(chǎn)dvantages     C.minor things           D.focuses
51. How is the passage mainly developed?
A.By inferring.             B.By comparing.
C.By listing examples.        D.By giving facts.
52. The text is written mainly            
A.to explain the origin of the expression “first things first”
B.to call on us to use our time in a smart manner   
C.to introduce a meaningful class given by an expert
D.to tell us about the relativity and the power of time

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案