Thinking is something you choose
to do as a fish chooses to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking
may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about thinking
is the key to critical(批判性的) thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your
thinking processes(过程). Otherwise, you might be
controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of
education.
The word “critical” here
has a special meaning. It does not mean taking one view against another view,
as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature
of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen--beyond the pictures on
TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning.
Critical thinking is an
attitude as much as an activity. If you are interested in life and want to dig
deeper into it, you are a critical thinker. If you find pleasure in deep
thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical
thinker.
Activities of the mind
and higher-order reasoning(推理)are processes of deep and careful consideration. They take time, and
do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today’s world: fast foods,
instant coffee, and self-developing film. If you are among the people who
believe that speed is a measure(尺度)of intelligence(智慧), you may learn something new from a story about Albert
Einstein. The first time Banesh Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work
with Albert Einstein. Hoffman was too nervous to speak. But Einstein
immediately made Hoffman feel comfortable by saying, “Please go slowly. I don’t
understand things quickly.”
1.Critical thinking is important to
us because if we do not think critically, _______.
A.it will be hard for us to
think naturally and fast
B.we might be controlled by
other people’s ideas
C.we will follow the ideas
of others naturally
D.we might be fooled by
other people’s ideas
2.If you are a critical thinker,
you will ________.
A.take one view against
another view
B.trust the reports in the newspapers
C.think deeply about
different ideas
D.criticize other people for their mistakes
3. In the last paragraph, “something new”
suggests that ________.
A.speed can improve intelligence
B.intelligence is not decided by speed
C.the smarter you are, the faster you do things
D.the faster you do things, the smarter you
become