创造力是一种至关重要的能力，但如何才能更好地激发创造力？有一些人认为，感到无聊其实有助于萌生创意，而另一些人则建议我们勇于尝试更多的新事物，增加阅历，从而提升创造力。本期 “随身英语” 围绕如何提升创造力展开讨论。

词汇：creativity 创造力

Do you get your best ideas when you are bored, or when you are out doing new things? What should we look for when we want to be more creative? Boredom and stimulus may be opposites, but studies into creativity suggest that actually we might need both.

Writing for BBC Culture, Clair Thorp looks at the role that boredom plays in the creative process. Many writers and artists credit being bored with helping them have their best ideas – JK Rowling came up with Harry Potter while on a long train journey. Thorp tells us how some researchers believe that boredom drives our brains to find something to do – leading to creative ideas. So, maybe we should take the advice of the musician Questlove and learn to ignore the distractions that we can find on our phones.

However, before we all start planning how to bore ourselves into creativity, Sandi Mann, an academic and author, warns that too much boredom can take away the energy we need for creativity. Many experts talk about the importance of finding new experiences in order to be more creative. Actor and writer Kayode Ewumi recommends getting on a random bus and seeing where you end up or learning a new musical instrument as ways to avoid writer's block. Professor Gerard Puccio, a professor of creativity studies, believes that having to look at new things, or old things in a different light, can force us to make unusual connections and come up with innovative solutions. 

So, perhaps what we need is a balance – enough stimulus to make us look at things in different ways, and enough boredom to give us the breathing space to work through these thoughts.

词汇表

creative 有创造力的，有创意的
stimulus 激励（创作）的因素
creative process 创意过程
come up with 想出
drive 迫使，驱使
creative idea 创意
musician 音乐家
distraction 分散注意力的事物
plan 计划
energy 精力，干劲
experience 经历
writer's block 作者心理阻滞，神思枯竭，写不出东西
in a different light 从不同的角度（考虑某事）
unusual 不寻常的，独特的
innovative 创新的，新颖的
breathing space 喘息的空间
work through 推敲，斟酌

测验与练习

1.  阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What was JK Rowling doing when she first thought of Harry Potter?

2. What is the result of making our brains look for something to do?

3. According to Sandi Mann, what could be the problem with having too much boredom?

4. What creative activity does Kayode Ewumi suggest trying?

5. What does Gerard Puccio believe looking at new things leads to?

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. People need time to _______ the thoughts in their head and think of solutions.

plan                        drive                         work through               come up with

2. Being bored can be an important part of the creative _______.

energy                    process                    block                           idea

3. A combination of boredom and stimulus might help us _______ our most creative solutions.

experience              shut down                work through              come up with

4. Making _______ connections can lead to new ideas.

standard                 unusual                    dangerous                   few   

5. Trying something new is great for getting rid of _______.

stimulus                  distraction                writer's block               breathing space

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。 

1. What was JK Rowling doing when she first thought of Harry Potter?
She was on a long train journey when she first thought of Harry Potter.

2. What is the result of making our brains look for something to do?
We can get creative ideas when our brains look for something to do.

3. According to Sandi Mann, what could be the problem with having too much boredom?
She says that too much boredom can lead to not having enough energy to be creative.

4. What creative activity does Kayode Ewumi suggest trying?
He suggests trying to learn a new musical instrument.

5. What does Gerard Puccio believe looking at new things leads to?
He believes that looking at new things leads to making unusual connections and innovative solutions.

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. People need time to work through the thoughts in their head and think of solutions.

2. Being bored can be an important part of the creative process.

3. A combination of boredom and stimulus might help us come up with our most creative solutions.

4. Making unusual connections can lead to new ideas.

5. Trying something new is great for getting rid of writer's block.