① From climate change to the ongoing pandemic (大流行病) and beyond, the issues facing today’s world are increasingly complex and dynamic. Yet solving problems like these requires new approaches that extend beyond traditional ways of thinking. A study led by Yale Professor of Psychology, Paul O’Keefe, found that having a growth mindset (思维倾向) of interest may spark this type of innovation.

② Professor O’Keefe established in earlier studies that people hold different beliefs about the nature of interest. Those with a growth mindset of interest tend to believe that interests can be developed and cultivated, while those with a fixed mindset of interest tend to believe that interests are inherent (与生俱有的) and simply need to be ’found.’ Building on these findings, the latest research examined how a growth mindset of interest can boost integrative thinking across the traditional disciplinary boundaries of arts and sciences.

③ For example, in one task, research participants were instructed to create new college majors by combining two or more existing academic Arts or Science programs at their university. After coding and analyzing the ideas they generated, the team found that people with a growth mindset of interest were more likely to bridge programs across the arts and sciences to create new majors like computational economics rather than creating majors that drew from only one of those areas, like computational chemistry.

④ As Professor O’Keefe pointed out, “This research provides a useful direction for organizations whose products and services call for integrated and creative solutions. Take smartphones for example. You need not only computer science and engineering knowledge, but also an understanding of psychology and visual design to create a better product. Employees with a growth mindset may be more likely to devise innovative ideas that bridge multiple areas of knowledge to achieve better solutions.” 

⑤ The benefits of a growth mindset of interest may also extend to those seeking employment. This is a pressing issue because many people are becoming unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Having a growth mindset of interest can help job seekers expand their interests and become more adaptable to different fields, and take the initiative to learn new skills. 

1.1. What does the author say about the world today?

A It faces problems that are getting more varied and complicated.

B It has done away with many of the traditional ways of thinking.

C It is undergoing radical and profound changes.

D It is witnessing various types of innovations.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。题干询问作者对当今世界的描述，定位文章第①段首句 “the issues facing today’s world are increasingly complex and dynamic”。选项 A 中 “more varied and complicated” 与原文 “increasingly complex and dynamic”（日益复杂且多变）表述一致，是对原文细节的直接对应。其他选项均与原文不符：B 项 “done away with traditional ways of thinking”（摒弃传统思维）错误，原文是 “extend beyond”（超越）而非摒弃；C 项 “radical and profound changes”（剧烈深刻变化）原文未提及；D 项 “witnessing various innovations”（见证各类创新）错误，原文是 “requires new approaches”（需要创新）而非已见证。故选A。

2.2. What did Professor O’Keefe find in his earlier studies?

A People’s interests tend to change with age.

B People’s interests determine their mindsets.

C People are divided about the nature of interest.

D People of different ages have different mindsets.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。题干指向 O’Keefe 教授的早期研究，定位第②段首句 “people hold different beliefs about the nature of interest”。选项 C 中 “divided about the nature of interest”（对兴趣本质有分歧）与原文 “different beliefs about the nature of interest” 完全对应，是原文细节的直接呈现。其他选项均无依据：A 项 “interests tend to change with age”（兴趣随年龄变化）、B 项 “interests determine their mindsets”（兴趣决定思维倾向）、D 项 “different ages have different mindsets”（不同年龄有不同思维倾向），原文均未提及相关信息。故选C。

3.3. What is the focus of Professor O’Keefe’s recent research?

A How boundaries can be removed between arts and science disciplines.

B How feasible it is to create new disciplines like computational economics.

C How students in arts and sciences view the two types of mindset of interest.

D How a growth mindset of interest can contribute to cross-disciplinary thinking.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。题干询问近期研究的焦点，定位第②段末句 “the latest research examined how a growth mindset of interest can boost integrative thinking across the traditional disciplinary boundaries of arts and sciences”。选项 D 中 “contribute to cross-disciplinary thinking”（促进跨学科思考）与原文 “boost integrative thinking across disciplinary boundaries”（推动跨学科整合思维）表述一致，是对研究核心的直接概括。其他选项错误：A 项 “removed between arts and science disciplines”（消除文理界限）原文未提及，研究是 “促进跨学科思考” 而非 “消除界限”；B 项 “feasible to create new disciplines”（创建新学科的可行性）是研究中的例子，非焦点；C 项 “how students view the two types of mindset”（学生对两种思维的看法）原文未涉及。故选D。

4.4. What does the author want to illustrate with the example of smartphones?

A Hi-tech products are needed in interdisciplinary research.

B Improved technology gives birth to highly popular products.

C Making innovative products needs multidisciplinary knowledge.

D Hi-tech products can boost people’s integrative thinking.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。题干询问智能手机例子的作用，定位第④段。该例子是为了支撑前文观点 “products and services call for integrated and creative solutions”（产品和服务需要整合性创新解决方案），原文明确提到 “need not only computer science and engineering knowledge, but also psychology and visual design”（不仅需要计算机科学和工程知识，还需要心理学和视觉设计知识），由此可推理出 “创新产品需要多学科知识”，与选项 C 一致。其他选项均偏离例子主旨：A 项 “Hi-tech products are needed in interdisciplinary research”（跨学科研究需要高科技产品）逻辑倒置；B 项 “Improved technology gives birth to popular products”（技术改进催生热门产品）原文未提及；D 项 “Hi-tech products boost integrative thinking”（高科技产品提升整合思维）错误，原文是 “有成长型思维的人更易整合知识”，而非产品本身。故选C。

5.5. What is the author’s suggestion to those who are seeking employment?

A Learning practical skills.

B Broadening their interests.

C Staying safe in the pandemic.

D Knowing their pressing issues.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。题干指向作者对求职者的建议，定位第⑤段 “Having a growth mindset of interest can help job seekers expand their interests”。选项 B 中 “Broadening their interests”（拓宽兴趣）与原文 “expand their interests” 直接对应，是原文给出的明确建议。其他选项不符合题意：A 项 “Learning practical skills”（学习实用技能）错误，原文是 “take the initiative to learn new skills”（主动学习新技能），未限定 “实用技能”；C 项 “Staying safe in the pandemic”（疫情中保持安全）原文未提及；D 项 “Knowing their pressing issues”（了解自身紧迫问题）错误，原文是 “this is a pressing issue”（失业是紧迫问题），并非对求职者的建议。故选B。