Unit 6 Think for a change
Warming up
Reference answers
1
1) long (long time; long hair; long stretch)
2) table (table manners; round table; table tennis)
3) glass (broken glass; clear glass; eyeglasses)
2
1) A chair can be used:
•as a step for kids not tall enough for the basin
•as a plant shelf when put upside down
•as a bedside table
•…
2) A coffee mug can be used:
•as a flowerpot for growing small plants, such as spring onions and coriander
•as a vase
•as a container for holding small objects, such as pens, candles, and a sewing kit
•…
3) A toothbrush can be used for:
•cleaning the crawfish
•cleaning the keyboard
•cleaning containers with small mouths
•cleaning shoes
•removing the small fiber balls on clothes, such as sweaters and overcoats
•…
3
We can see from the above exercises that creativity really matters. Without creativity, we will not get the flash of inspiration and find the fourth word that the three unrelated words can share, and we will never be able to come up with so many creative ways that an everyday object like a chair, a coffee mug and a toothbrush can be used.
The importance of creativity in our personal lives can’t be underestimated. Creativity is part of who we are and how we express ourselves in everyday life. Creativity is not something we are born with, nor is it necessarily a characteristic of high intelligence. It is a matter of using the resources we have to produce original ideas. Artists use creativity to express their ideas and visions through painting, wood carving, sculptures, graffiti, and photography, which provide us with visual feasts. Musicians, singers and songwriters use creativity to make music that touches us. Fashion designers use creativi
ty to create clothes which make us look amazing. Scientists use creativity to invent things that facilitate our lives and change the world.
Creativity is everywhere, in the food we eat, in the clothes we wear, in the places we visit, etc.
With a creative eye, we find creative things, and with a creative mind, we create things.
Listening and speaking
News report
Scripts
A group of 30 prominent British and American scientists write an open letter to London’s The Guardian newspaper and say the current process for approving scientific studies is counterproductive and needs to be changed.
In the letter, the scientists point out that almost all of the 500 major discoveries of the 20th century were started before 1970, and that many of those discoveries challenged the accepted science of the time and would probably not be funded today.
They say that since then, researchers have had to make their academic peers believe the work would have enough benefits to justify the investment of time and money, which limits opportunities for open-ended research.
The scientists note that before the 1970s, the funds available were small, but researchers were free to use the money however they saw fit. Nowadays, their proposals must include convincing evidence that the results would be beneficial for national policies.
The 30 scientists are calling for a new effort to support independent-thinking researchers like the ones who made major discoveries in electronics, nuclear power, biotechnology, and medicine.
Questions:
1.Why did the scientists write the letter?
2.What do we learn about the major discoveries in the 20th century?
3.What kind of research is most likely to be funded today according to the scientists?
4.Which of the following is not mentioned as an area where the scientists are calling for
investment?
Reference answers
Listening and understanding
1. C
2. A
3. A
4. B
Thinking and speaking
The importance of supporting research and development (R&D)
The investment in R&D plays a significant role in the overall health and long-term sustainability of the economy of a nation. We think that in the next three to five years more investment should be made in basic research, core technologies, and interdisciplinary research.
First, research is indispensable for innovation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly
stressed the importance of basic research as the source of innovation. Without basic research, there will be no innovation. And we think that more emphasis should be put on the training of basic research skills of the students in institutions of higher learning.
Second, to solve the increasingly complex problems, such as climate change, environmental problems, and health problems, we think that more investment should be made in R&D, and the efforts made by researchers across various disciplines need to be united.
Third, supporting D&R is good for a nation’s economy. R&D helps an industry to develop, design, and enhance its products, services, technologies, or processes. Continued advances in R&D are crucial to ensuring and increasing economic growth.
Research areas to be supported
Research areas that should be supported include but are not limited to:
•space exploration
•deep-sea exploration
•biotechnology and medicine
•(large-scale) integrated circuit
•quantum technology
•advanced manufacturing technology
Conversation
Scripts
Host: Art and Business is an organization that develops creative partnerships between business and the arts. Peter Jones is going to talk about the company’s ideas. Peter,
maybe you could begin by telling our listeners why Art and Business was created? Peter Jones:Well, in the 21st century, productivity is no longer just a matter of machines. The success of a company depends on the creativity of its people. The way to increase
productivity is to stimulate creativity.
Host: And what better way to stimulate creativity than through reading books？
Peter Jones: Exactly. Every reader knows that a good book can stimulate the imagination and the intellect, get you thinking along lines you might not have thought of before, and
open up new worlds.
Host: So, how can reading help somebody to become a more creative person?
Peter Jones: Being creative needs active imaginations. When people interpret fictional scenarios, they are using their imagination. They combine imaginative skills with critical and
analytical skills.
Host: Are we talking about the right and left sides of the brain?
Peter Jones: Yes. Our logical left side of the brain interprets the language of a book. The creative right side looks at the forms of expression. The left side analyzes the plot while the
right side is more interested in the relationships between characters –the
glamour
emotional aspects.
Host: How does this transfer to the world of business?
Peter Jones: Creative ideas make businesses more competitive. Shared reading experiences improve creativity, communication, and morale at work.
Questions:
1. What is Art and Business?
2. What does the success of a company depend on?
3. What is the best way to stimulate creativity according to the man?
4. What kind of books would the man most likely recommend?
Reference answers
Listening and understanding
1
1. D
2. B
3. A
4. C
2
1. F
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. T
Thinking and speaking
Art and business
We’d like to share two examples of integrating art and business.
•Example 1
Established in 2000, Artrade is a forerunner in e-business dealing in art works. Chinaware, painting and calligraphy, oil painting, coins, arts and crafts, rare collections, and all sorts of art works you can think of are available on the platform. Running 365 days a year and 24 hours a day, its annual sales volume reaches over 10 million yuan. While creating its own brand, Artrade has also witnessed the changes in the purchasing habits of the Chinese people.
•Example 2
We think Swarovski is a good example of integrating art and business. With the making of the best lead glass crystals in the world as their passion, and with a wide range of colors, forms, and sizes, Swarovski has been welcomed since 1895. It has infus ed people’s lives with glamour.
Activities inspiring creativity
Activities that inspire creativity include but are not limited to:
•writing poetry and prose
•playing and listening to music
•doing photography
•acting
•participating in art projects
•playing games
•traveling
•brainstorming
•meditating
Passage 1
Scripts
Creativity is our ability to look at a problem and come up with a good solution. It has nothing to do with the subject matter or the job. There are creative inventors, but there are also very creative cleaners and teachers. While all of us are creative, we differ in the way that we are and to which extent.
Michael Kirton came up with the Adaptation-Innovation Theory. He believes that when we solve problems, we are either more adaptive or more innovative. People who are more adaptive-creative try to do things better. People who are more innovative-creative try to do things differently. For example, to solve the specific problem of smelly cat litter, more adaptive types look for a solution inside the box. They might try to let the cat create less smelly litter, then increase the size of the sand particles, and finally add some refreshing tropical scent. More innovative types think outside the litter box. They come up with cat diapers, cat schools for good manners, or a robocat.
Since these two types of people are so different, can they work together in a team? Actually, research indicates that involving different types of people in problem-solving could add a new perspective and make people more careful of drawing fast conclusions or falling into groupthink. The result is a more intelligent problem-solving process.
Questions:
1. Which of the following is true of creativity, according to the speaker?
2. What does Michael Kirton believe?
3. Why does the speaker mention cat litter?
4. What will happen when adaptive and innovative people work together?
Reference answers
Listening and understanding
1
1. B
2. D
3. D
4. D
2
1) better 2) differently 3) inside 4) increase 5) outside 6) cat schools
Thinking and speaking
Characteristics of adaptors and innovators
I would see myself as an adaptor because I tend to accept a problem as defined and prefer
established and structured situations. I like things that are predictable, and often feel uncomfortable and even nervous when unexpected things happen. For example, I prefer optimizing my way of doing the school tasks to coming up with an entirely different method.
At a time when change is the only predictable thing, I need to improve my way of thinking, my way of doing things, and adapt myself to the fast-changing world.

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