Use of English (2018)

Why do people read negative Internet comments and do other things that will obviously be painful? Because humans have an inherent need to [1] uncertainty, according to a recent study in Psychological Science. The new research reveals that the need to know is so strong that people will [2] to satisfy their curiosity even when it is clear the answer will [3].

In a series of four experiments, behavioral scientists at the University Of Chicago and the Wisconsin School of Business tested students’ willingness to [4] themselves to unpleasant stimuli in an effort to satisfy curiosity. For one [5], each participant was shown a pile of pens that the researcher claimed were from a previous experiment. The twist? Half of the pens would [6] an electric shock when clicked.

Twenty-seven students were told which pens were electrified; another twenty-seven were told only that some were electrified. [7] left alone in the room, the students who did not know which ones would shock them clicked more pens and incurred more shocks than the students who knew what would [8]. Subsequent experiments reproduced this effect with other stimuli, [9] the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard and photographs of disgusting insects.

The drive to [10] is deeply rooted in humans, much the same as the basic drives for [11] or shelter, says Christopher Hsee of the University of Chicago. Curiosity is often considered a good instinct—it can [12] new scientific advances, for instance—but sometimes such [13] can backfire. The insight that curiosity can drive you to do [14] things is a profound one.

Unhealthy curiosity is possible to [15], however. In a final experiment, participants who were encouraged to [16] how they would feel after viewing an unpleasant picture were less likely to [17] to see such an image. These results suggest that imagining the [18] of following through on one’s curiosity ahead of time can help determine [19] it is worth the endeavor. “Thinking about longterm [20] is key to reducing the possible negative effects of curiosity,” Hsee says. In other words, don’t read online comments.

[A]protect

[B]resolve

[C]discuss

[D]ignore

[A]refuse

[B]wait

[C]regret

[D]seek

[A]hurt

[B]last

[C]mislead

[D]rise

[A]alert

[B]tie

[C]treat

[D]expose

[A]message

[B]review

[C]trial

[D]concept

[A]remove

[B]weaken

[C]interrupt

[D]deliver

[A]When

[B]If

[C]Though

[D]Unless

[A]continue

[B]happen

[C]disappear

[D]change

[A]rather than

[B]regardless of

[C]such as

[D]owing to

10.

[A]discover

[B]forgive

[C]forget

[D]disagree

11.

[A]pay

[B]marriage

[C]schooling

[D]food

12.

[A]lead to

[B]rest on

[C]learn from

[D]begin with

13.

[A]withdrawal

[B]persistence

[C]inquiry

[D]diligence

14.

[A]self-reliant

[B]self-destructive

[C]self-evident

[D]self-deceptive

15.

[A]define

[B]resist

[C]replace

[D]trace

16.

[A]overlook

[B]predict

[C]design

[D]conceal

17.

[A]remember

[B]promise

[C]choose

[D]pretend

18.

[A]relief

[B]plan

[C]duty

[D]outcome

19.

[A]why

[B]whether

[C]where

[D]how

20.

[A]consequences

[B]investments

[C]strategies

[D]limitations

深度解析 (Answers & Logic)

1. [B] resolve. 逻辑对应。后文说好奇心能驱动人明知痛苦也要知道答案，这是为了消除/解决（resolve）不确定性。
2. [D] seek. 词义辨析。人们会“寻求（seek）”去满足好奇心。A项拒绝、C项后悔均不合逻辑。
3. [A] hurt. 语义一致。前文提到 painful，此处指即使答案会“伤害/带来痛苦（hurt）”，人们也要知道。
4. [D] expose. 固定搭配。expose oneself to sth. 意为“使某人暴露于/接触某物”。
5. [C] trial. 语境词。在一项“试验（trial）”中，参与者被展示一堆笔。
6. [D] deliver. 专业表达。deliver an electric shock 意为“实施电击”。
7. [A] When. 连词考查。当（When）他们被单独留在房间里时。
8. [B] happen. 语义对应。知道会“发生（happen）”什么的学生。
9. [C] such as. 举例关系。列举了“指甲划黑板声”和“恶心昆虫图”作为刺激物例子。
10. [A] discover. 语义对应。好奇心即“发现（discover）”的动力。
11. [D] food. 类比逻辑。好奇心和对食物（food）或住所的基本需求一样。
12. [A] lead to. 逻辑关系。好奇心可以“导致（lead to）”科学进步。
13. [C] inquiry. 近义词代换。such inquiry 指代前文的好奇心及其探索行为。
14. [B] self-destructive. 核心主旨。好奇心会驱动人做“自我毁灭的（self-destructive）”事，如看负面评论。
15. [B] resist. 动宾搭配。病态的好奇心是可以“抵制/克制（resist）”的。
16. [B] predict. 逻辑对应。鼓励参与者“预测（predict）”看图片后的感受。
17. [C] choose. 实验结果。预测了不快后，人们就不太会“选择（choose）”去看了。
18. [D] outcome. 语义一致。提前想象“结果（outcome）”。
19. [B] whether. 宾语从句。确定“是否（whether）”值得。
20. [A] consequences. 总结升华。考虑长期“后果（consequences）”是减少负面影响的关键。

核心长难句精解 (High-Light)

1. so... that... 结构与不定式：
"The new research reveals that the need to know is so strong that people will seek to satisfy their curiosity even when it is clear the answer will hurt."
 【解析】reveal 后面是 that 引导的宾语从句。从句中使用了 so... that...（如此...以至于...）结构。even when 引导时间状语从句，表达了一种极端的对比。 
2. 复杂的受试者对比句：
"...the students who did not know which ones would shock them clicked more pens and incurred more shocks than the students who knew what would happen."
 【解析】这是一个典型的 A than B 的比较结构。A 和 B 两个部分都带有 who 引导的定语从句。这种结构在英二中常用来陈述实验结论。 
3. 动名词作主语与复合宾语：
"These results suggest that imagining the outcome of following through on one’s curiosity ahead of time can help determine whether it is worth the endeavor."
 【解析】that 引导宾语从句。从句的主语是动名词短语 imagining... time，其中 following through on 是一个短语动词。determine 后面接了 whether 引导的宾语从句。 