And Alice said, “Curiouser and Curiouser!”

“Curiouser and curiouser!” this line from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in the Wonderland arouses the most interesting mix of mystery, exploration, discovery and fantasy of the new and unreal.

Curiosity can often be amusing in the real world: a baby monkey sliding off the branch as it curiously stretches out its hand towards a piece of red, juicy fruit.Then there is our own curious little cousin, intent on pushing a rock over and then equally excited by the worms crawling out.We can hear his cheerful claps — the curiosity effect! They are all set to explore and investigate what is around them.This childlike enthusiasm and interest in the world dribble away as they grow older and become more cautious.

Curiosity is one of our strongest instincts.We are born with it and follow its trail for a reason.It is to learn something we did not know, to understand something which is unusual, and to engage with something we have not come across before.The learning of the “new” sets us off on a path of discovery and innovation.Curiosity and exploration activates areas of the brain that are linked with learning and memory.An imaginative mind adds more neurons (神经元), which increases our brain power.The excitement of following our curiosity activates the chemical dopamine (多巴胺) in our brain.Dopamine? Think of it as the happy messenger that runs along the wiring of our brain like an excited cheerleader celebrating a victory! The labyrinths (迷宫) of our brain are complex and mysterious.We can get these neurons to buzz and crackle in tune with our imagination and exploration to aid in the development of a healthier brain.

Curiouser and curiouser, go follow the trail down the rabbit hole of exploration.The world awaits, and your brain will thank you for exercising its muscle!

【小题1】What does the underlined words probably mean in the second paragraph?

A．Wear off

B．Give off.

C．Take off.

D．Cut off.

【小题2】Which of the statements about dopamine is true according to the writer?

A．Dopamine can increase our brain power.

B．Dopamine can deliver happiness in our brain.

C．Dopamine can figure out the mystery of our brain.

D．Dopamine can activate our curiosity in our brain.

【小题3】How did the writer organize the third paragraph?

A．By making definitions.	B．By giving theories.
C．By showing benefits.	D．By making comparisons.

【小题4】What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Imagination is more important than knowledge.

B．Alice in the Wonderland is Lewis Carroll’s best seller.

C．Curiosity is a natural tendency for people and animal.

D．Curiosity is of great significance to us regardless of age.