Have you ever been stuck for hours on a hard math problem? If you sat there for some time you might eventually solve it, but scientists say that daydreaming might be a much better way to tackle difficult tasks. In fact, daydreaming has long been misunderstood. It's considered to be a bad thing and often associated with laziness. "We're harsh on ourselves if we catch ourselves mind wandering," says Professor Kalina Christoff from the University of British Columbia in Canada. But the truth is that some of the most important scientific discoveries came about because scientists allowed their minds to wander. For example, Albert Einstein began his theory of relativity when he daydreamed about riding a beam of sunlight to the edge of the universe. And now, research has shown that normal people can also improve their problems solving ability in the same way, reported The Telegraph. In a study, 145 people aged between 19 and 32 were asked to list as many unusual uses as possible for everyday objects. Some of them were given a 12-minute break while the others were not allowed any break from the task. People on the break did not simply relax--some of them were told to carry out a tiring memory task while others did an easier task. Scientists found that people who did the easier task were daydreaming a lot. They thought about personal issues in the past or in the future because their mind was at ease. After the break, all participants were asked to return once again to the task of listing unusual uses for everyday objects. It was found that daydreamers improved their performance by 40 percent, while all the other people, including those who didn't have a break and who did tiring tasks during the break, performed the same as before. "People think that when the mind wanders away, it just gets turned off--but we show the opposite," explained Christoff."A more playful attitude might allow you to call in more resources ." So when you are struggling to solve complicated problems, it might be better off if you switch to a... . It was believed that daydreaming _ . A) had something to do with imagination B) had been misunderstood for a long time C) was a waste of time when the mind was shut off D) was a good way to relax and solve problems
C
If we are driving a car or crossing a street, we will stop when the traffic lights turn red. Why do we use red rather than other colors? As we know, scattering happens when light goes through the air. For the same media, if the wavelength is long, the scattering will be short. If the wavelength is short, then the scattering will be long. Of all light we can see red has the longest wavelength, so the scattering is the weakest. That means the red light travels far. In fact, it travels farther on rainy days. Using the red light can help drivers in farther areas see the lights. It helps drivers slow down or stop in time. If drivers don't see the red light until they are close, they may not be able to stop the car in time. An accident may happen. Red can also excite people. We can act more quickly when we see the color red. In a word, red light helps drivers stop in time and help prevent accidents. _ has the longest wavelength of all light we can see. A) Red B) Green C) Yellow D) Black
A
Q: We are all busy talking about and using the Internet, but how many of us know the history of the Internet ? Many people are surprised when they find that the Internet was set up in the 1960s. At that time, computers were large and expensive. Computer networks didn't work well . If one computer in the network broke down, then the whole network stopped. So a new network system had to be set up. It should be good enough to be used by many different computers. If part of the network was not working, information could be sent through another part. In this way computer network system would keep on working all the time. At first the Internet was only used by the government, but in 1970s, universities, hospitals and banks were allowed to use it, too. However, computers were still very expensive and the Internet was difficult to use. By the start of the 1990s, computers became cheaper and easier to use. Scientists had also developed software that made " surfing " the Internet more convenient. Today it is easy to get on-line and it is said that millions of people use the Internet every day. Sending e-mail is more and more popular among students. The Internet has now become one of the most important parts of peoples' life. _ made "surfing" the Internet more convenient . A) Computers B) Scientists C) Software D) Information
A: B
Question: One day a man saw a lady on the road. Her car broke down and she needed help. The man stopped his car and said: "I'm here to help you. You can call me Bryan Anderson." After he fixed the car, the lady wanted to pay him. But Bryan said no. He said if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the help he or she needed. A few miles down the road the lady went into a small cafe. The waitress came over. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant , but she never let it change her attitude when she served her. The lady finished her meal and paid with a $100 bill. The waitress went to get the change. When she came back, she found the lady had gone and left a note on a piece of paper: "You don't owe me anything. Somebody once helped me the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let the love end with you." Under the paper were four more $100 bills. The waitress was moved. She really needed the money, as the baby would soon arrive. Then she called her husband: "Everything will be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson." How did the man ask the lady to thank him? A) He said she could pay him back next time. B) He didn't ask her to do anything. C) He asked her to help people in need. D) He asked her to help his wife.
Answer: C
(Q).
What do you see when you look at abstract art? Does it make sense to you? Does it look like anything? Abstract art became popular in the early 20th century. Artists did not want to paint, draw, or sculpt things like they looked. They didn't want their art to be realistic . They were more interested in basic shapes and colours. Picasso is probably the most famous of these artists. He painted and drew in many, many styles. Sometimes he used a lot of blue colours (his "blue period"). Later, he used more red and pink colours (his "rose period"). Many of his other paintings are called "cubist " because they are made of painted squares. After a long time, Picasso's paintings became more and more abstract. He painted people and things using strange shapes. His work was so original, many his fellow artists didn't understand it. Kindinsky, another famous artist, used lines, shapes, and patterns to paint his subjects. His paintings also used strong colours to express feelings. Other artists like the surrealists , they were interested in the subconscious . Painters like Breton and Magritte used many symbols in their work. The meaning or subject of their work wasn't always clear. Dai, another artist, painted pictures that looked like dreams. There are still many abstract artists around the world. It's often hard to say what their art is about. That's the way many artists like better. They want each person to look at art and find their own meaning in it. Who is probably the most famous abstract artist? A) Breton B) Dali. C) Picasso D) Magritte
(A).
C