Question

If you are looking for a creative solution to a piece of work or a school assignment，don’t lock yourself up in a quiet room.

A new study suggests that moderate background noise is a better spur(动力) to creative thinking than the sound of silence，Time magazine reported.

A paper published in the Journal of Consumer Research says that the perfect working environment should buzz(嗡嗡作响)with a little noise.

Researchers found that test subjects were at their most creative when background noise was measured at 70 decibels，the level one might find in a busy coffee shop.

A nearly silent environment(50 decibels)was too quiet. Turning up the volume to 85 decibels (a jackhammer tearing up the pavement outside your building) was counterproductive-the noise became a distraction.

The researchers asked 65 students at the University of British Columbia，Canada，to perform various creative tasks while noises recorded at a roadside restaurant were played in the background.

In one experiment，scientists asked participants to brainstorm ideas for a new type of mattress(气垫). Test subjects had the most successful discussions when the noise in the background was noticeable but not too loud.

While a quiet environment may make it easier to read a book. the authors of the study say that moderate background noise creates just enough of a distraction to force people to think more imaginatively, without breaking their focus so completely that they can’t think at all.

Should we all head for Starbucks to get creative? Not necessarily.

Researchers found limited work time surrounded by the low-level noise of a coffeehouse is what really stimulates creativity.

Equally, working in a care environment isn’t good for everybody. The productivity boost was most obvious among those who were naturally creative to begin with.

1.The recommended level of background noise is__________.

A. 50 decibels B. 65 decibels

C. 70 decibels D. 85 decibels

2.Why is moderate background noise good for creativity?

A. It relaxes people and stops them from getting bored.

B. It can help people to focus on a subject.

C. It can absorb sudden noises that cause distraction.

D. It pushes people to use their imagination but doesn’t reach a level that disturbs them.

3.According to the last three paragraphs，___________.

A. the low—level noise of a coffeehouse may be too loud for some people to work with

B. if a person is not a creative type, then background noise may not be of so much help to them

C. a person’s own creative ability is as important as the environment they are in

D. working in a coffeehouse is effective for most people

4.Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?

A. Negative. B. Objective.

C. Enthusiastic. D. Doubtful.

 

Answer 1

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：文章通过描写大量的研究阐明了处于适度噪音环境下工作对一个人创造力，想象力的激发有帮助作用。

1.细节理解题。由第四段Researchers found that test subjects were at their most creative when background noise was measured at 70 decibels，the level one might find in a busy coffee shop. 可知合适的噪音是70 decibels。选C。

2.推断分析题。从第五段A nearly silent environment(50 decibels)was too quiet. Turning up the volume to 85 decibels (a jackhammer tearing up the pavement outside your building) was counterproductive-the noise became a distraction. 一个几乎无声的环境 （50 分贝） 太安静了。至于音量调至 85 分贝 （像手提钻在你大楼外面的人行道上刺耳地在工作一样），是达不到预期目标的——噪声已经成为一种干扰。可以推断出适度的噪声可以激发人的想象力而且不会干扰人的工作。故选D。

3.推断分析题。可以采用排除法。从倒数第二段Researchers found limited work time surrounded by the low-level noise of a coffeehouse is what really stimulates creativity. 可知在有少量噪音的咖啡馆里真的能刺激人的创造性。故A项不正确。而选项C,D并不能从最后三段中得出，所以也可以排除掉。B项意思是如果一个人不是很有创造力的类型，那么背景噪音可能不会对他们有太多的帮助。可知其是正确的。故选B。

4.

考点：考察科普说明文阅读