Read the following names. Mind your pronunciation

Lesson 2 Attributes Of a Creative Mind

Express your own understanding of creativity and give examples of creative processes.

Work in pairs and find out what your partner knows about creativity.

1. Study the following words:

nun [nun] – монахиня

kin - родня, родственник

wisdom [ ' wiIdBm]- мудрость

mirth [ ' mB:I] – веселье. радость

atrophy [ ' WtrBfi] – мед. Атрофия

holistic [hCL ' listik] – целостный

foster [ ' fostB] – поощрять, питать

clarity [kl ' Writi] – чистота, ясность

onset – 1) натиск, атака; 2) начало

lateral [ ' lWtrBl] побочный, вторичный

rut [rHt] – 1)колея, борозда, 2) привычка

inspiration [inspi ' reiGn] – вдохновение

alert [B`lM:t] – (зд.)живой, проворный

senility [sB ' nilBti]– старость, дряхлость

spatial – [ ' speiGBl] – пространственный

insight [ ' insait] – проницательность, понимание

habitual [hB ' bitGLBl] – привычный

absurd [WbsB:d] – абсурд, нелепость, что-то смешное

nurturing [ ' nM:tGBriE] – 1) воспитание, 2) выращивание

articulate [A: ' tikjulBt] – четко выражающий свои мысли

resiliency – способность быстро восстанавливаться, 2) упругость

centenarian [senti ' neBriBn] – 1. a столетний, 2. n человек ста и более лет

instill – исподволь внушать, вселять (надежду), мед. вводить по каплям

analogical [W ' nBlodFikl] – 1)аналогический, основанный на аналогии, 2) фигуральный, метонимический

susceptible [sB ' septibl] – 1) впечатлительный, восприимчивый, 2) предик. допускающий, поддающийся (of)

2. Read the following word combinations and remember them:

habitual method – привычный метод

onset of senility – наступление старости

life's challenges – жизненные проблемы

dendrite connections – мед. древовидные связи

neural pathways – мед. нервные проводящие пути

mental degeneration – умственная дегенерация

structured sequential thought – структурированная последовательная мысль

use dependent plasticity – гибкость(пластичность) зависящая от использования

Einstein, Pablo Casals, Albert Schweitzer, Leonardo Da Vinci, Shakespeare, Goethe, Alzheimer

4. Read the following dates:

In July of 1994; 1980^th; June 16^th 1973; 2006; in their 80's, 90's; January 21^st 2001; 1825; 1395; 1998; 2006; in May 2005.

5. Make sure that you know all the words in the box. Then read their definitions and match the words with the definitions:

Centenarian, mirth, thinking, puzzle, challenge, degradation, humour, inspiration, thought.

- loosing physical, moral or mental qualities that are considered normal or desirable;

- idea, opinion, intention, etc. formed by thinking;

- problem or toy designed to test a person’s knowledge, skill, patience;

- a person who is more than 100 years old;

- influence producing creative activity in literature, music, art, etc;

- way or reasoning, using the mind in order to form opinions, coming to conclusions;

- a difficult problem;

- capacity to cause or feel amusement;

- being merry, happy and bright; laughter;

6. Make the derivatives from the following words:

Habit, to create, to think, to train, to stress, to differ.

7. Write the comparative and the superlative of the following adjectives:

alert, articulate, new, quick, slow, flexible, fluent,

8. Give the Russian equivalents to the following words and word combinations. Use your dictionary if necessary:

Centenarians; dendrite connections; mental degeneration; physical degradation; Alzheimer's disease; to keep the mind sharp; new challenge; life's challenges; habitual methods; use dependent plasticity; an excellent way; different types of thinking; habits; to be alert; ability to reason; to create flexibility in the brain; wisdom.; to instil humour; a sense of mirth; inspiration; a good joke; today's stressful world; to be susceptible to humour; a creative mind; to keep your mind in a lofty place; a group of nuns.

9. Read the following text and get ready to discuss it:

Life magazine ran an article in July of 1994 about a group of nuns that were in their 80's, 90's and centenarians. All of these women were alert, articulate and showed no signs of Alzheimer's disease or any other form of mental degeneration. Why? They said they loved to do puzzles every day. They exercised their minds daily. This article focused on the fact that we think by creating dendrite connections in the neural pathways of the brain. Neurologically this is called " use dependent plasticity. " If we don't continue to create new neural connections, the brain will begin to atrophy. This is the onset of senility.

Most of us have formed definite neural pathways of thought. We use habitual methods of thinking to approach life's challenges. In this way we have created deep ruts in our brain. We have truly hard-wired our mechanism for thought, the brain. If we accept the concept that mind is created by consciousness acting upon the brain, we can see that we need to create flexibility in the brain to have flexibility of mind.

Not only doing puzzles daily is an excellent way of keeping the mind sharp, but different puzzles exercise different portions of the brain. Some puzzles stimulate the left brain, some the right brain. There are also different types of thinking. Logical, analogical, and lateral are a few examples. These different modes of thinking apply to solving different kinds of problems.

Most of us were educated in the public school system and our logical left brain habits were specifically targeted. Reading, writing and most forms of arithmetic use structured sequential thought. Reasoning is also an attribute of left brain thinking. Developing our ability to reason is an art that results in wisdom.

Learning to access and is done with art, sports, music or other forms of holistic, spatial and audio forms of training. You can also stimulate the right brain by using your mind to solve spatial orientation, pattern recognition and analogical puzzles. The right brain is thought to be the seat of insight. Opening pathways in the right brain allows us the ability to facilitate insight. Insight is that sudden knowing of the answer. By nurturing and exercising our capacity for insight we have opened up the potential for genius to emerge.

We are offering a variety of puzzles here, presented daily that will stimulate the left brain, the right brain, and also generate a whole brain entrainment. Whole brain thinking is a kin to intuitive thought, and contrary to common knowledge, it can be taught and exercised, thereby strengthened. Developing our ability to reason with clarity and listen to our insights will further unify the brain and allow for creative genius to be common in our lives.

HUMOR Laughter is the best medicine. Science has proven that laughter massages the internal organs, enhancing digestion and circulation. Humour also releases endorphins in the brain that give us an overall sense of well being. Children are most susceptible to humour and can readily accept it under even difficult circumstances.

What is humour? Humour is the ability to recognize the absurd in any situation and to accept it. Humour is the ability not to take oneself or others too seriously. Light heartedness is the essence of a joyful and creative life. A sense of mirth helps to relax the mind and make it more flexible.

This site hopes to instil humour and laughter in each day's experience. Each daily puzzle will be prefaced by a good joke or silly anecdote. In today's stressful world a good joke to start the day will lighten up everything that comes our way.

If you study the great genius' of recorded history, most of them had an excellent sense of humour. Examples are Einstein, Pablo Casals, Albert Schweitzer, Leonardo Da Vinci, Shakespeare, Goethe, and the list goes on.

Humour can also be cultivated and developed. As one's creative abilities increase you will be able to sense the absurd in any situation. Doing this allows for freedom of thought.

INSPIRATION is another element that fosters a creative mind. It helps to start each day with an inspiring thought or little story left behind by the creative genius' of the past. These parables and thoughts will uplift you and guide you through the day, keeping your mind in a lofty place.

The soul is lifted by noble reflections from minds and hearts that have soared beyond the norm. When your soul is uplifted your ability to grasp and perceive in creative ways is greatly enhanced. Your desire to reach beyond your present boundaries is stimulated. This is the essence of a creative attitude, the desire to reach for new horizons.

A creative mind needs the resiliency and flexibility that results from inspiration. Inspiration reminds one of a childlike attitude of exuberance and acceptance of life. This can be felt in the expression of a happy toddler. Start your day with this feeling and everything that comes your way will be sweetened. Creative solutions will become obvious to even life's most difficult challenges.

10. Answer the following questions:

1. What people were described in Life magazine in July of 1994?

2. How old were the nuns?

3. How often did they exercise their brains?

4. In what way did they exercise their brain?

5. What kind of thinking is used in application to solving different kinds of problems?

6. What brain habits are specifically targeted in our school system?

7. What helps to stimulate the right brain?

8. What are the main attributes of a creative mind?

9. What is humour?

10. How does humour help the human brain?

11. Can humour be cultivated and developed in a person?

12. What stimulates person’s desire to reach beyond the present boundaries?

13. What is inspiration?

11. Say whether the following statements are true or false:

1. All the described nuns were alert, articulate and showed no signs of Alzheimer's disease.

2. The women liked to solve crosswords.

3. We think by creating dendrite connections in the neural pathways of the brain.

4. Our way of thinking provides us with use dependent plasticity of the mind.

5. The more we think the better is the work of our brain.

6. The majority of people educated in the public school system have developed both parts of the brain.

7. Nowadays there are many different methods to stimulate the left brain, the right brain, and also generate a whole brain entrainment.

8. Science has proven that laughter is the best medicine.

9. Light heartedness is the essence of a very difficult life.

10. It is necessary to laugh every day.

11. A very important element that fosters a creative mind is sleeping.

12. Inspiration reminds one of a childlike attitude of exuberance and acceptance of life.

13. Creative solutions should become obvious to life's most difficult challenges.

12. Finish the following sentences in accordance with the text:

1. A group of very old nuns surprised the scientists because they …

2. The women exercised their brain …

3. We think by creating …

4. Human brain will begin to atrophy if …

5. If we accept the concept that mind is created by consciousness acting upon the brain …

6. There are different types of thinking …

7. The left brain is usually stimulated by …

8. The right brain is usually stimulated by …

9. The main attributes of a creative mind are …

10. Humour is …

11. A sense of mirth helps …

12. Inspiration helps …

13. A creative mind needs…

Дата добавления: 2014-12-27